The Missing Piece of Light; One Fallen Angel
by Forgotten
Summary: ^UPDATED! Chapter 5: Explanations and Awaiting Chaos^ Good VS Evil. Kari is the key; can the other Digidestined help defeat Flawless & his Plan? Tao also has new orders which may prove fatal for a certain DigiDestine. Takari? Daikari? Veegato? R&R please!
1. Chapter 1: Struck Down

Hmmm…well, *drum roll* I have decided to continue! HOO-HAH!  
  
And, as I have stated, I do not own Digimon. If I did…well…there would be a few less people in my life. ^_~  
  
Here's the first official chapter!  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter One  
  
  
  
Monday.  
  
At least there was no school! Kari had begun to believe that summer was created to make sure students didn't just drop dead.  
  
But summer has its problems, too.  
  
"Who to call??"  
  
Kari plopped down on her bed, the lower bed of her and Tai's bunk- bed, to contemplate this. She was still wearing her soaked night-shirt from earlier, but was too lazy at the moment to change. It was only 11:00 AM! Way, way too early to actually get on real clothes.  
  
Gatomon was sitting on the bed beside Kari, looking at her with those crystal blue eyes. She glanced to the bathroom, which Tai was in. The sound of singing, horribly off tune, echoed from the shower. Steam rolled out from under the door, like a mist.  
  
"I've got to record Tai one day," Kari said thoughtfully, with a 'slightly' evil grin.  
  
"Is he singing 'Hit Me Baby One More Time' again?" Gatomon asked, eyes wide. She swiveled an ear in the direction of the bathroom. After a moment she says, "Yep."  
  
"ANYWAY…" Kari piped up, not wanting to listen to the horrible sound of Tai trying to sound like Britney Spears, "Who to call? How about it, Gato?"  
  
Gatomon yawned, stretching out her arms and legs. She was careful not to tear the bed sheets. "I don't know. Aimee?"  
  
"She's in Hawaii," Kari said, remembering. "Hmmm…"  
  
"T.Y.?"  
  
"T.Y.! Great idea!" Kari plucked the phone off the hook and raised it to her ear, then stopped. "Wait. I can't remember her phone number. Didn't she get a new one?"  
  
Gatomon nodded. Kari groaned and flopped back on her bed.  
  
"But you got it," Gatomon said quizzically. "I remember because your mom also wrote her shopping list on it and you almost freaked because you could barely see the number."  
  
"OH YEAH! It's got to be around here somewhere…" At this bit of news Kari began rummaging through her drawers and under her bed, looking for the slip of paper with T.Y.'s number on it. Gatomon watched with interest. Kari stopped after a minute, looking up at her. "Ahh…you're a big help!"  
  
Gatomon smiled sweetly. Kari rolled her eyes a little and continued searching for the slip of paper. Her journey took her under the bed, into all the drawers, under Tai's pillow…  
  
"Ummm…Kari" Gatomon ventured after a few more minutes of this.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"I remembered the number."  
  
There was a pause.  
  
"…You remember…the number? T.Y.'s number…?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Another pause.  
  
"…I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" Kari leaped, tackling Gatomon onto the bed. Gatomon yelped but could tell by the look in Kari's eyes that she was just playing. They both laughed, and for a moment Kari almost forgot what had been bugging her.  
  
That dream.  
  
Missing.  
  
What it meant.  
  
Why it came.  
  
For one moment, she could laugh an honest laugh.  
  
  
  
************************  
  
12:00 AM  
  
  
  
There was only one thing wrong with talking to T.Y.  
  
She TALKED.  
  
"But Jon, I mean, he was all like 'I'm dumping you for Leanne.' I was all like…I mean, I burst out laughing! Out of school for a few weeks and he's already checking out girls like HER? I mean…wouldn't you laugh too?"  
  
"Huh?" Kari blinked and realized she was still on the phone with T.Y. She had zoned out for a minute…it had mainly been just T.Y. talking for over an hour. Not hearing the question, Kari coughed.  
  
"Wouldn't you laugh too?" T.Y. repeated, exasperated.  
  
"Oh? Of course! AH-HAH!" Kari faked a giggle. Man. She checked out the clock, which read 12:00 AM in red, digital letters. Her day was trickling by!  
  
Had to think of something.  
  
Gatomon, who had been lazing back reading one of Kari's magazines, peeked over the cover and read the distress in Kari's face. "Has she talked your ears off yet?" Gatomon purred.  
  
GATO! Kari mouthed to her.  
  
"Leanne does talk your ears off!" T.Y. replied, misunderstanding the statement over the phone.  
  
Gatomon slipped off the bed and disappeared out of the room. Kari grumbled, believing her friend had abandoned her, but a minute later Gatomon came back with a plastic candy wrapper in paw.  
  
What's that? Kari mouthed to her. Gatomon hopped back onto the bed beside her and crackled the paper. She then handed it to Kari, grinning.  
  
Kari blinked, then understood. She took the wrapper and held it up to the receiver, then began rubbing it roughly near it. "Ah! I'm sorry, my phone's breaking up T.Y….I'd better go!" she said in fake horror.  
  
"Oh, dang! I was going to tell you about yesterday!" T.Y. complained.  
  
"What? Can't hear you!" With that Kari hung up and tossed the candy wrapper in the trashcan. She stood, stretched, then bowed to Gatomon. "Thank you, sensei."  
  
Gatomon rolled her eyes. "So, are we going to DO something today? My whiskers are about to fall off from boredom!"  
  
"How about we invite T.K. and PATAMON to eat with us today?" Kari teased, deliberately stretching out the word 'Patamon'.  
  
No emotion flickered on Gatomon's face.  
  
"How about Davis and VEEMON?" Kari continued, narrowing her gaze.  
  
Gatomon began straightening her ears. "You're not getting anything out of me," she said in a monotone voice.  
  
"You've GOT to like somebody!" Kari complained. She walked to her closet, pulling out a pair of blue jeans and a pink shirt. She didn't really LIKE pink as much as she used to, but she was stuck with it. She picked her camera off of her chest and slipped it around her neck.  
  
"Is that an unwritten rule?" Gatomon asked curiously. "I've got to like somebody?"  
  
"DON'T you?" Kari persisted, swiftly changing her clothes. She threw her wet nightshirt up onto Tai's bunk, purposely. He caused the mess; he should deal with it!  
  
"Do I?" Gatomon replied, enjoying this game.  
  
"You do?"  
  
"I might?"  
  
"You DO!"  
  
"I don't!"  
  
Silence. Just the sound of the changing of clothes.  
  
"What about you?"  
  
Kari stiffened a little. "Eh?" She blinked, just getting done pulling down her shirt.  
  
"Aren't you in love with T.K.?"  
  
"WHAT?!?!" All the color drained from Kari's face.  
  
"Davis?"  
  
"No!"  
  
"…Cody??"  
  
"No!"  
  
"KEN??"  
  
"NO!"  
  
Silence.  
  
"Is Tai still in the bathroom?" Kari asked after she finished straightening her shirt out.  
  
"Yep."  
  
Marching over to the bathroom door, Kari gave a swift knock. There were no more waves of steam seeping under the door, no more sounds of a shower, no more Britney Spears. "Tai?"  
  
Knock, knock.  
  
"What?" came a slightly annoyed Tai's voice.  
  
"What are you doing? You've been in there over an hour!" Kari scoffed. "I thought girls were bad about staying in bathrooms forever…"  
  
"I'm doing my hair gel!" Tai replied easily. "It takes time, practice, and discipline."  
  
Gatomon snorted from the bed.  
  
"Tai…" Kari purred, her voice suddenly sweet. "If you don't come out I'm going to call up Kim and tell her YOU'RE the one who dropped off the flowers at her door for her birthday…"  
  
Tai coughed.  
  
"…And left her that little poem…what was it…'Roses are red, violets are sweet, don't know what to say, but I like your feet'?"  
  
Silence.  
  
"Ummm…coming out." There was the sound of shuffling, and a second later Tai opened the bathroom door and smiled sheepishly at Kari. "Ah-hah. I'm done."  
  
Gatomon couldn't hold it. She burst out laughing. "'I like your feet'???" Tai rubbed a hand through his hair and put on a serious face. He the marched out of the room and into the kitchen, where Agumon had been all morning watching TV in the main room and occasionally sneaking some snacks. Kari walked into the bathroom, was almost knocked over by the intense heat caused from the shower, and then proceeded to fix her hair among other things. "Gato?" she called out after a second.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Can you call T.K., Davis, Cody, Yolie, and Ken up? Ask them if they'd like to go out and eat with us today, around 2:00. And bring their Digimon, of course." Kari knew this wouldn't be a problem…Tai would probably want to hand around the apartment with Agumon all day and watch soap operas on TV. Since her mom and dad had gone to work early today she knew they wouldn't mind, and she didn't have anything to do.  
  
"Sure," Gatomon answered.  
  
  
  
************************  
  
-Takaishi Residence-  
  
  
  
Ring ring.  
  
"Hello?" T.K. answered. He looked back to the couch where Patamon was sitting, watching some show about exotic foods.  
  
"Hi. T.K.?" It was Gatomon's voice.  
  
"Yeah. Hey, Gatomon!" T.K. chirped happily. Patamon looked over in his direction, then hopped into the air, gliding over and landing on T.K.'s shoulder to where he could hear the conversation as well. T.K. puckered up his lips at Patamon and mouthed 'Oh, Gatomon!'. Patamon responded with a fwack on his head.  
  
"Well, Kari and I were wondering if you'd like to come and eat out with us today, around 2:00. We're going to see if the others can come, too."  
  
"Sure!" T.K. piped. "Where?"  
  
"Ummm…" Gatomon faltered. "Hey, Kari! Where are we eating?" she called out-loud in the background.  
  
"Huh? How about Yikani's Burgers?" Kari responded, somewhere in the back of the room it sounded.  
  
"Yikani's Burgers sound okay to you?" Gatomon asked into the phone.  
  
"Sure!" Patamon replied before T.K.  
  
"Oh, hey Patamon!" Gatomon replied, recognizing his voice.  
  
"Yikani's Burgers, 2:00," T.K. repeated. "We'll be there!"  
  
"Okay. See ya around!" Gatomon chirped, then hung up.  
  
  
  
************************  
  
-Motomiya Residence-  
  
  
  
Ring ring.  
  
"I'LL GET IT!" Davis leaped for the phone, hit the desk, and plopped on the floor, but managed to pull the phone to his ear. DemiVeemon, or Chibimon, crawled into his lap, pulling on his hand to bring the phone closer so he could hear too. Once this commotion was settled, Davis said, "Hello?"  
  
"Hi. Davis? This is Gatomon."  
  
"Hiya Gatomon!" Davis replied happily. Chibimon straightened up some and pressed his blue ear closer to the phone. "Hi Gato!" Chibimon added, sending a little look at Davis.  
  
"Hiya Chibimon! Listen, Kari and I were wondering if…"  
  
"We could eat out somewhere??" Chibimon interrupted, his stomach growling some.  
  
Gatomon laughed. "Yeah. Yikani's Burgers, around 2:00 be okay?"  
  
"Sure," Davis said. "That's close by. We'll be there! My parents are out and I can sneak by Jun's room. I super glued her hair brush to a hamster wheel, so she should be busy for a while."  
  
"Oh. I see. Cool! See ya there."  
  
"Bye Gatomon!" Chibimon squeaked. Gatomon giggled and hung up.  
  
"DAVIS!!!!" Jun yelled from her room. Davis smirked and gave Chibimon a little high-five.  
  
  
  
************************  
  
-Ichijouji Residence-  
  
Ring ring.  
  
"Oh!" Ken's mom picked up the phone. "Hello?"  
  
"Hi…Mrs. Ichijouji?"  
  
"Oh, why hello Gatomon!" Mrs. Ichijouji responded, smiling. "How are you?"  
  
"I'm fine, thanks," Gatomon replied. "Is Ken around?"  
  
"Oh yes, he's in his room. Ken!"  
  
Gatomon could hear a scuffle, then Ken's voice saying "Gatomon?"  
  
"Hi Ken."  
  
"Hi." Leafmon, sensing something, hopped into Ken's arms as he talked on the phone. "What's up, Gatomon?" Ken asked.  
  
"Would you like to eat out with Kari, me, Davis, Chibimon, T.K., and Patamon around 2:00 at Yikani's Burgers?"  
  
"Let me see…" Ken pulled away from the phone. "Mom…can I eat out with some friends today?"  
  
"Sure," Mrs. Ichijouji replied from the kitchen. "It's nice of them to invite you!"  
  
"Yeah," Ken said directing his voice back to the phone. "We'll be there. Have you tried Yolie and Cody?"  
  
"Yeah," Gatomon said. "Cody has to go with his parents somewhere today, and Yolie's sick."  
  
"Oh. Okay. See you around."  
  
"Bye Ken, by Leafmon."  
  
"Bye."  
  
  
  
************************  
  
-Kamiya Residence-  
  
  
  
Kari listened vaguely to Gatomon's conversations with the other Digidestined. She peered into the mirror, having a moment alone with her thoughts.  
  
Her mind drifted back to this morning.  
  
"I'm Missing…"  
  
That's what it had said. The person, shadow, figure. Why did it come to her every night? Why did it haunt her sleep? Why did the same thing always happen, and what was it trying to do?  
  
Was it friend?  
  
Enemy?  
  
Both?  
  
Or Neither?  
  
Maybe it was all just something her head made up on its own. Being a Child of Light can be stressful.  
  
But I never had dreams before, Kari thought, brushing her hair for the twentieth time while gazing into the mirror. Maybe once or twice, but never over and over…and they always made some kind of sense…Is this a warning? A plea?  
  
She could almost see it again. The brightness, the never-ending space of white.  
  
The shadow.  
  
The voice.  
  
The breaking apart of the space, the dark vortex sucking up everything in its way.  
  
The shadow.  
  
The shadow.  
  
And as she was gazing into the mirror, her reflection shifted. At first Kari didn't notice, but after a second she squinted to see if what she saw was real.  
  
Had the mirror just rippled?  
  
She blinked, watching the mirror again.  
  
Another ripple.  
  
Or was it her imagination?  
  
Her reflection disappeared altogether, and in its place, blackness.  
  
Thump, thump…Thumping echoed in Kari's ears, reverberating in her mind, filling her thoughts. The discomfort quickly turned to a sharp pain, a feeling of burning behind her eyes, of pain shooting down every limb of her body.  
  
A white flash in her vision!  
  
Then…nothing…  
  
Just more darkness as she felt herself slide to the floor…  
  
Thump…thump…  
  
The sound of Gatomon's cry as she saw…  
  
More shadow…  
  
Voices…echoing…  
  
  
  
The missing piece of light;  
  
One fallen angel  
  
A soul afraid of dying  
  
That never learned to live  
  
A heart afraid of breaking  
  
That was too afraid to give.  
  
  
  
Then…  
  
Nothing.  
  
  
  
  
  
What's happening with Kari?? Will she be okay? What's all this about her dream?  
  
Will Gatomon ever confess who she likes??  
  
Will Tai ever be able to sing on tune??  
  
Will Jun ever get her hair brush??  
  
Stay tuned for Chapter 2 of "The Missing Piece of Light; One Fallen Angel" to find out!  
  
Thanks for your reviews. ^_^. You reviewers are what encourage me to write more.  
  
Thanks!  
  
Ja ne.  
  
~*Kari*~ 


	2. Chapter 2: A Stranger Among Us

Insanity Angel Kari: Dum-dee-dum-dum… oh! Yes! Here is the next chapter!  
  
My Friend KC: That would make it chapter two.  
  
Insanity Angel Kari: But according to the number thingies on the button it's section three!  
  
KC: But that doesn't make it chapter three!  
  
Insanity Angel Kari: What if the Introduction counts as a chapter?  
  
KC: No!  
  
Insanity Angel Kari: It depends on your point of view! It could be chapter 3, section three, or chapter 2 with a section in front of it!  
  
KC:…Wha???  
  
Insanity Angel Kari: I love being difficult! Is fwacked mercilessly by KC OW! Anyway…as I have stated, I do not own Digimon. If you sue, I will bury you in Jello. If you try to flame my story, as soon it will become clearer whether this is a Takari, Daikari, or Veegato, I will singe your flames with my FIRE EXTINGUISHER OF JUSTICE! Bwhahaha! And all characters I make up and have in this story belong to me! ( Tao and Cystamon! ) If you use them without consulting me first I will bathe you in bananas then throw you in the midst of a clan of hungry chimpanzees!! Thunder booms in the background  
  
KC: Evilness resides here…  
  
  
  
Chapter Two  
  
  
  
"KARI!"  
  
Gatomon leaped down from the bed, racing over to where her Digidestined was lying. She had just seen her collapse in the bathroom, seemingly for no reason!  
  
"Kari!!"  
  
Gatomon fumbled around, feeling for Kari's pulse. It was hard, with her gloves and claws, but she finally managed to grab her wrist. Her Digidestined was lying on her back, eyes closed, and her skin gradually draining of color. Beads of sweet ran down her forehead, and as Gatomon touched the skin on her wrist it felt clammy. Cold.  
  
What was going on??  
  
A pulse! Gatomon breathed a sigh of relief. At least she wasn't dead. But she was unconscious or something near to it. And that wasn't good. Fear, like ice cold daggers, struck Gatomon's heart, and anger. Anger at not knowing what had happened, and not being able to prevent it. Gently she tried shaking Kari, popping her face a few times. "Kari?!"  
  
"What's going on?" Tai asked, walking into the room. He held a donut in one hand and a puzzled expression on his face. But the split second he saw Kari on the bathroom floor, he freaked. "What happened??!?" He rushed over to her, kneeled down, and immediately started to check her pulse. His eyes were wide, with fear and disbelief.  
  
"I already did that," Gatomon scoffed. "She's alive. Her pulse is strong."  
  
"Then…then what the heck…did she pass out?" Tai griped, feeling Kari's forehead.  
  
"She fell to the floor. Is that passing out?"  
  
"I guess!"  
  
A second later Agumon rushed into the room, a glass of water in hand. "Tai? Whoa! What happened to Kari??"  
  
"GIVE ME THAT!" Tai snatched the glass of water out of Agumon's hand and poured it all over Kari's face.  
  
  
  
************************  
  
-??????????-  
  
-Meanwhile-  
  
  
  
It was happening again.  
  
Was she asleep?  
  
She wasn't sure.  
  
Was this a dream?  
  
But it was so real.  
  
Kari tried moving her fingers, but nothing happened. No sensation whatsoever. And as she tried to see what the problem was, she realized she had no fingers.  
  
No hand.  
  
No arm.  
  
And, just to make sure, she found she had no body. She was just…  
  
There.  
  
"Where am I?" She was surprised she could even speak. But as her mind formed the words, they happened, in her same voice, same tone. Everything was dark, black. For a fleeting moment Kari feared she was dead, or dying one. She strained to remember what had happened. Hadn't she been combing her hair? Yeah. She'd been trying to figure out her dream. Then what had happened…Oh yeah. The ripple in the mirror. The white flash, and the sensation of sliding to the floor.  
  
Gatomon's strangled cry.  
  
Where was Gatomon?  
  
"Gato?" Kari whispered. No answer. Wherever she was, Gatomon wasn't there. Kari's heart skipped a beat. Gatomon had always been there. If she were here, she would have answered. "Tai? Agumon? Anyone?!"  
  
Only silence answered.  
  
"Please…someone say something…" Kari pleaded to the nothingness. Faintly, she could hear whispers, in the back of her mind. Was it Tai? It sounded like him. And Gatomon. Even Agumon. She couldn't hear what they were saying, but the voices were there, echoing.  
  
"Missing…it's all missing."  
  
Another voice! Familiar, yet alien. Monotone.  
  
"Hello??" Kari asked, straining to hear something else from the shadow that resided in her dreams. She recognized the voice, the sadness, and the vague feeling of being lost.  
  
"I'm Missing…"  
  
"Is that your name?" Kari persisted, intent on not losing this person again.  
  
"You could say that…"  
  
Kari breathed a sigh of relief from lungs that weren't there. She might finally be getting somewhere. "What do you want?"  
  
"…I want to be found…is that so much to ask…?"  
  
"But I've found you. You've been in my dreams," Kari replied, a little frustrated.  
  
"I'm just a piece. A piece of something more that was thrown away then lost…"  
  
"I don't understand."  
  
There was a moment of silence. Kari had begun to get worried she had lost the shadow again. She couldn't see it in all this blackness, so she couldn't be sure.  
  
"I don't understand myself…" the voice answered, finally. "No one does…no one knew about me except for me. And I'm the only one that doesn't understand."  
  
Kari had begun to grow confused. "Are you lost?"  
  
"Aren't we all…?"  
  
Suddenly Kari felt a strange sensation. Vague at first, then suddenly strong.  
  
She was drowning!  
  
She felt the water flowing down her face, choking her, washing over her. Was someone trying to kill her?  
  
Suddenly the darkness brightened, and slowly, as she opened her eyes and her blurry vision gradually cleared, she could make out the lights of the bathroom ceiling. The sounds of excited murmuring, the feeling of someone stroking her face. A soft, strangely feline voice beckoning her to come back. But even that couldn't stop the poem, the poem that so many times filled her head as she began to wake up:  
  
The missing piece of light;  
  
One fallen angel  
  
A soul afraid of dying  
  
That never learned to live  
  
A heart afraid of breaking  
  
That was too afraid to give.  
  
  
  
************************  
  
  
  
"Her eyes fluttered!"  
  
"Fluttered? Like a butterfly?"  
  
"Oh, stop being such a ditz Agumon!"  
  
"Sorry for being poetic!"  
  
"Her eyes could pop OUT, as long as she's okay! Kari! Kari! Can you hear me??"  
  
"You want her eyes to pop out??"  
  
Two voices: "AGUMON!"  
  
Kari recognized the first voice as belonging to Tai as she came to. The second voice belonged to Agumon, and the third to Gatomon.  
  
"Ugh…"  
  
"Kari!" Tai yelped, gently holding her up. He smoothed back her hair, watching her eyes closely. They opened again, those amber eyes that belonged to his sister. "Kari! Are you okay?!"  
  
"Hmm…yeah…that was strange…" At that moment Kari decided not to tell them about what exactly had happened. Inside, she felt they didn't need to be bothered with her. She knew she already was a load, a little sister to Tai, a Digidestined to Gatomon, a friend to so many others…why burden them with something even she didn't understand?  
  
Better wait.  
  
Gatomon was sitting to her left and Agumon was standing by Tai, to the right. Gatomon's eyes, usually so calm and cool, flickered with emotion. Fear.  
  
Kari felt horrible. Gatomon was never scared.  
  
"What happened?" Gatomon asked, emotion almost choking her voice. She swallowed, and her eyes regained their usual intensity. She, like Kari, didn't like revealing her feelings much.  
  
"Did you bonk your head?" Agumon offered.  
  
"I must have passed out…" Kari winced, trying to think of a good excuse. She never was the kind that would just pass out for no reason. "Umm…it must have been because of the ice you put in my shirt earlier, Tai…and…the chemicals in the lipstick, then suddenly going into a hot, steamy bathroom."  
  
Okay. That MIGHT be believable.  
  
"Chemical imbalance," Kari added.  
  
"Wow…I didn't know lipstick was deadly!" Agumon gasped.  
  
"Are you sure you're alright?" Tai asked again, still concerned. He didn't totally buy the chemical thing, but after his gym socks had grown a mysterious brown mold on them after a month, he was open to suggestions of the strange and mysterious. But of course, when he had shown Kari, she merely said it was a case of bad foot odor.  
  
"Yeah…" Kari said after a pause. To demonstrate this, she slowly got to her feet, then stood up straight. "See? Good as new."  
  
Tai narrowed his eyes, then nodded. He got up as well, then scratched his head. "It's kinda crowded in the bathroom. Let's mosey on over to the bedroom, shall we?" In all reality, he was about to be suffocated by all the heat left over by his shower. Turn on the fan next time, he thought, making a mental note to himself. He and Kari walked out of the bathroom, Agumon and Gatomon following. Kari sat on the bed, rubbing through her hair. She paused when she felt some wet hair, then looked down.  
  
She was soaked!  
  
"Tai!" she yelped. "Did you pour water on me??"  
  
"It was my water!" Agumon whined.  
  
"Yeah, to wake you up." Tai blinked.  
  
"Nothing else was working," put in Gatomon.  
  
"Noooo…I was going to wear this shirt out to eat today…now I'm going to have to find a new one…" Kari grumbled. She got up and searched through her drawers, then rummaged through her closet. After a minute she pulled out an identical shirt to the one she had on, minus the water.  
  
"Going out to eat?" Tai asked. "With who? When?" He crossed his arms, entering protective 19-year-old-brother-looking-after-15-year-old-sister mode. Kari tapped her foot, raising an eyebrow at him.  
  
"I don't know if I should tell you, oh Putter of Ice Down My Back," Kari replied sweetly, batting her eyes at him.  
  
"T.K., Patamon, Davis, Chibimon, Ken, and Leafmon," Gatomon answered easily.  
  
"No wrestlers, bar tenders, or guys who bite off chicken heads?"  
  
"None of the above."  
  
"Alrighty." Tai smiled and gave a swift nod to Gatomon, then looked to Kari. "I suppose I could let you go. Where are you meeting?"  
  
"Yikani's Burgers," Kari answered before Gatomon. She sent her a little grin.  
  
"When?"  
  
"2:00."  
  
"Hmmm…" Tai pondered this, scratching his chin. He stopped and blinked, feeling it. "Dang. I got a beard. Got to shave again…"  
  
"Tai!" Kari said, rolling her eyes. "Can I go or not? I've already called the others."  
  
"I guess," Tai said after a moment.  
  
"I want to eat out!" Agumon whined, looking to Tai.  
  
"What about our Soaps that come on around that time?" Tai asked, with widening eyes.  
  
"Ah! Never mind. I want to find out what happens to Jean!" Agumon then raced back to the TV.  
  
"Okay. So we'll be staying here. You can go, but be back before dark! And call if something goes wrong. Do you need to take some medicine?" Tai asked.  
  
"Tai, we're big girls. Kari's 15. You're 19 and your butt's glued to the couch and your eyes to the TV. And I'm a Digimon so I don't really have an age," Gatomon purred teasingly to Tai. Tai rolled his eyes but nodded. Looking to his Pokemon watch, he watched the little Pickachu tick by the seconds.  
  
"…Ah! 'My Life With Lucky' is on!" With a leap and a bound Tai raced out of the room and into the living room, propelled himself onto the couch, nearly landing on Agumon, who in turn pushed him off. Gatomon rubbed her forehead, then looked to Kari.  
  
"He's not very worried, huh?" she asks.  
  
"He's worried, he just doesn't want to show it. Besides, he's been through stuff like this…" Kari said after a moment. She felt uncomfortable with Gatomon persistently trying to get what really happened out of her. She knew that's what she was trying to do.  
  
"You will tell me, won't you? Even if it's not now…" Gatomon said softly after another pause.  
  
"How can I keep anything from you for long, Gato?" Kari replied, changing shirts. "You're like a piece of me."  
  
The words echoed back.  
  
'A piece of something more that was thrown away then lost…'  
  
And still it made no sense.  
  
  
  
************************  
  
-Yikani's Burgers, 1:54 PM-  
  
  
  
T.K. looked around, then looked to his watch once more. Calm down, T.K…he thought. She'll be here. And the others, of course…  
  
Patamon yawned, resting on top of T.K.'s head like old times. T.K. was sitting on a bench just outside of Yikani's Burgers, as he didn't want to go in just yet without the others. He grimaced at the other side of the bench where a large wad of gum had been stuck to the seat. Averting his eyes from the sight, he studied the people walking up and down the street, the cars driving by, the signs and occasional mime performing on the sidewalk.  
  
He shuddered.  
  
Mimes were evil.  
  
"Well, what are you hungry for today, T.K.?" Patamon asked, a little bored while they waited for the others.  
  
"Was that meant to rhyme?" T.K. asked, quirking an eyebrow.  
  
"I'm not sure. Do you want it to?"  
  
"Hmmm…"  
  
"T.J.!"  
  
T.K. didn't even have to take his eyes off of an old man picking his nose by the street corner to know who that was. Who else would forget the name of a person and it's only two letters long?  
  
"Hey, Davis," Patamon replied sunnily, pulling on the brim of T.K.'s bowl shaped hat he never goes without. "Whatcha looking at T.K.?"  
  
"Huh?" T.K. blinked, then looked away from the old man and to Davis, who was running up out of breath, a backpack slung over his shoulder. Chibimon poked his head out and waved a little blue paw, smiling.  
  
"Why did you bring a backpack, Davis? It's summer." T.K. scratched his arm, then rolled his eyes up to Patamon and gave him a Don't-Mess-With- The-Hat look. Patamon responded with a grin.  
  
"Huh? Oh, it has medical supplies in it. Ya know, stuff to save lives. In fact on the way over here I helped an old woman cross the street. Nice of me, huh?" Davis replied with his goofy look.  
  
"You have something of Jun's in it, of course," T.K. said, deadpan.  
  
"Uh….yeah. I got her radio. She finally got her hair brush."  
  
"Ish hot in here!" Chibimon complained. He popped out of the backpack opening and crawled over Davis' shoulder and slid into his arms. "Ah…better."  
  
"Do you know who else is coming?" T.K. asked.  
  
"Huh? Whatcha mean?"  
  
"You know. Who else is coming to eat with Kari and Gatomon."  
  
"WHAT?!?! You mean you're not just here to be here??" Davis wailed.  
  
"Of course not. I was invited. What are you talking about?" T.K. asked quizzically. Patamon popped himself on the forehead, already guessing what Davis' problem was.  
  
"Gatomon didn't say anything about inviting anyone else…" Davis whined. "She just said 'Meet us at Yikani's Burgers at 2:00' or whatever!"  
  
"Must have forgotten to tell you," T.K. said, trying not to laugh. "You didn't think this was a date, did you?"  
  
"A guy can be hopeful!" Davis responded grouchily.  
  
"At least we get to eat with friends!" Chibimon added happily. As long as there was food around, not much of anything could get him down.  
  
"Hey Davis, Chibimon, T.K., Patamon…" Ken walked up rather silently, a small smile on his face. Leafmon popped his head out from his arms and smiled with his eyes.  
  
"Yo Ken! Yo Leafmon! So you were invited to?" Davis chirped, in his good mood again. Chibimon waved in greeting.  
  
"Yeah…is Kari and Gatomon here yet?" Ken asked with a nod to the Yikani's Burgers building.  
  
"No," T.K. answered. "But she will be. It's only" -he glanced to his watch- "2:11."  
  
"Do you know who else was invited?" Patamon spoke up.  
  
"Yolie, Cody and their Digimon can't come because they have stuff to do," Leafmon answered.  
  
"More food for us!" Chibimon said gleefully. Ken laughed a little.  
  
"So…all we have to do is wait for Kari. I can do that." Davis plopped down beside T.K. on the bench. T.K.'s eyes widened, a little in surprise and amusement.  
  
"Uh…Davis?" he asked after a beat.  
  
"Yeah T.A.?"  
  
"…Nothing."  
  
"Ah! Sorry we're late!" Kari yelped as she ran down the sidewalk to the waiting Digidestined. Gatomon, being held in her arms, squeaked as Kari nearly tripped over her own feet. Skidding to a stop, Kari caught her breath. "Ah. I'm here."  
  
"Yay! Kari's here!" Davis sighed, his eyes all sparkly. He leaped up, did a twist, then bowed to Kari and Gatomon. "May we eat now, m'ladies?"  
  
"Davis, do you have a big wad of gum on your butt?" Gatomon asked, puzzled. Davis stopped, blinked, then turned his head to check. His eyes widened.  
  
"Hey. I do."  
  
"Very attractive, Davis," Kari mused. T.K. covered his mouth to keep from laughing, Patamon along with him, and Ken and Leafmon looked to each other grinning.  
  
"Eww…hey, wait. Kari, were you looking at my butt?" Davis asked, eyes widening.  
  
"It wasn't really a choice. Can you kindly remove the gum before it gets on my last nerve?" Kari asked sweetly.  
  
It was so normal. The bickering, the jokes, the talking. Even making fun of Davis. Kari knew she never REALLY made fun of him. In a way, she had begun to think Davis liked having the attention. That was okay. She understood him wanting attention just as she understood that lately she DIDN'T want attention. T.K. tended to be a little more in control of himself, and Kari knew he often masked his emotions or problems like her. Ken was about the same, though not as bad as he used to be. He had opened up a lot, allowing more of his feelings to show. Kari felt a twinge of guilt…she felt guilty for not telling someone about her problem. The dream, the poem, the voice and the confusion. But how would they help? They wouldn't understand. It's not like she didn't have faith in them…it was just hard to believe they would know what to do. Just like it was hard to believe she didn't know. And just like her personality, she kept her mouth closed. Guilt or no guilt, if this was serious no one had better get involved until she knew how to handle it. Hey, maybe she could even take care of this problem by herself!  
  
"Let's eat!" Chibimon offered.  
  
Everyone responded: "Yeah!"  
  
Kari smiled.  
  
But it was a troubled smile.  
  
And Gatomon noticed, just like she'd noticed many of the little things that were wrong. Patamon and Chibimon saw her eyes narrow with confusion and aggravation, but both were too into the thought of eating to give it much thought.  
  
As the Digidestined entered Yikani's Burgers, Digimon in hand and hungry stomachs, Kari felt something was missing.  
  
Missing.  
  
What WAS missing? Where could it be found? Why was it lost in the first place?  
  
"You've got to be hungry, Kari," said Davis, who was practically skipping beside her.  
  
"Yeah, I'm hungry," Kari replied.  
  
Hungry for answers.  
  
  
  
************************  
  
  
  
A girl, around 5'4, stood at the curb of the street, watching the group of kids enter Yikani's Burgers. Her pale green eyes followed them, and lingered over the one girl carrying the white cat. A few strands of her sandy blonde hair fell by her face, and she brushed them away, back under her cap. A small smile found itself on her lips, but it was a forced smile. She was wearing a red shirt with cut-off jeans, and plain sneakers. A Digivice hung from her belt, gray in color. She looked about 14 or 15, but her eyes look much older then any of the rest of her. Tired, experienced, but filled with intensity.  
  
"I'm watching. Watching you, like an eagle. You won't leave my sight," she whispered to the breeze, pulling her cap more over her eyes.  
  
"Tao…I'm in the mood for Italian. Can we go somewhere else to eat?" asked a voice from on top of her head. Sitting atop her head is a small but fox looking Digimon, with maroon fur and green eyes, similar to its Digidestined. A long maroon tail sways behind it with a gold tipped end, long ears mainly tilted back, and short legs. Two small wings sprout from its shoulder blades, but not large enough to lift it.  
  
"Sure, Cystamon…" Tao answered, averting her gaze from the building. "We'll save this 'encounter' for later…" With only one glance back, Tao turned and made her way silently down the sidewalk, seeming to meld into the shadows formed by passing strangers.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
What is it that's missing?  
  
And why is Kari the only one affected?  
  
Who is the strange person that keeps appearing? And are they truly looking for help, or looking for a way to destroy the Digidestined?  
  
Who is this mysterious girl named Tao and her Digimon Cystamon watching Kari and the Digidestined? What does she want?  
  
Will Jun ever find her radio??  
  
And will Tai and Agumon ever stop watching soap operas??  
  
And does Davis really look good in gum??  
  
Find out in Chapter Three of 'The Missing Piece of Light; One Fallen Angel' to find out!  
  
  
  
Insanity Angel Kari: Ohhhh! I love to hate the cliffhangers!  
  
KC: NYAH! starts strangling Insanity Angel What's going to happen?? And will this be Takari or Daikari?? It's hard to tell!  
  
Insanity Angel Kari: AHH! flails about  
  
KC: I'm thinking some Daikari? I mean, Kari was looking at Davis' butt?!  
  
Insanity Angel Kari: GAHH! continues flailing all the blood draining from her face  
  
KC: TELL MEEEEE!!  
  
Insanity Angel Kari: I CAN'T WITH YOU CHOKING ME! fwacks  
  
KC: Alrighty!  
  
Insanity Angel Kari: I'm suing!! Author abuse!!  
  
KC: I want to say the closing! JA NE UNTIL THE NEXT CHAPTER!  
  
Insanity Angel Kari: That's my line! attacks 


	3. Chapter 3: The One Named Flawless

Insanity Angel Kari: I've decided to upload dah next chapter! As long as I get reviews, I continue, at least four before I upload another chapter…and if you want, in your review, you can recommend ideas for my next fanfic or two or so, and for pairings. ^_^  
  
KC: I thought you were the one who CREATED ideas! rolls eyes dramatically  
  
Insanity Angel Kari: Of course! But I must allow others lend me their thoughts…you of all people should know what happens when I let all my ideas run wild by themselves!  
  
KC: AHHHH! TOTAL DESTRUCTION!! screams and jumps into a fox hole  
  
Insanity Angel Kari: Muhahahaha! cough Anyway, as I have stated I do not own Digimon. No flaming for pairings(?) in later chapters. A little Takari and VeeGato in dis chapter, I'll just go ahead and tell you! And all made- up characters here are mine, ask permission before you use them, like Tao and Cystamon. Do this and we all stay happy! ^_^ halo appears over head  
  
KC: still in fox hole…sticks a helmet over her head Ebil…  
  
  
  
Chapter Three  
  
  
  
Potato.  
  
That's basically what Kari felt like, after her third helping of the Yikani Surprise. She sighed contently, watching Gatomon finish off her sushi and the guys finish off food that never had a chance once it was set on the table. Davis was the most amusing, as he somehow managed to keep breathing while scarfing down huge amounts. Chibimon was right behind him, practically burying himself in a heap of munchies then eating his way out. Kari scanned the area, watching people come in and order, or people waiting for someone to meet them. Or just people just coming to have idle chat. After a moment Davis sat back and patted his stomach. He held out a piece of some bread he had to Kari, right under her nose. "Want some?" he asked.  
  
"Nah…I'm pretty full. Any more and the Blue Whale won't be the largest creature on Earth," replied Kari, pushing the bread away.  
  
Gatomon took a last bite of her sushi, then settled back in her seat. They were by a window, with a good view of the sidewalk. Kari, Gatomon, T.K., and Patamon sat in one seat, Kari by the window, and Davis, Chibimon, Ken, and Leafmon sat in the other, Davis by the window. Gatomon tilted her head slightly, settling her gaze on Kari. Kari rubbed her head and glanced away. Why does she have to bother me so, Kari thought, I told her I'm fine, and there hasn't been any more trouble…  
  
Gatomon, seeing Kari look away, sighed and turned her sight back to her sushi. But she didn't feel hungry anymore, so she pushed her plate away and rested her elbows on the table, head resting in her paws. Kari twitched. She hated seeing Gatomon so depressed…but no way she was going to say anything, at least for now. Not until something that made sense surfaced.  
  
"So, what's up Kari?" T.K. asked after a moment. Kari blinked, and for split second she thought he knew what had happened. But then he added: "I mean, you didn't just bring us here to get fat, right?" He smiled and winked to show he was kidding.  
  
Davis didn't like the smiling and winking. Bristling up, he stated, "Well I'd come even if there was nothing going on! I mean, for Kari and everything."  
  
"There's nothing special, really…" Kari said after a moment. Ken watched her carefully, in thought. To him, Kari was acting rather distant and guilty, but he said nothing.  
  
"No. Nothing special at all," Gatomon said, her voice monotone. Kari could hear a twinge of anger in her voice though. Gatomon sent her a look, then looked to the rest of her sushi, seeming to find it fascinating. Another wave of guilt washed over Kari, but she swallowed it.  
  
"Is it a crime to invite friends over to eat?" Kari asked simply.  
  
"I say one day only Kari and I go out for dinner," said a dreamy Davis.  
  
"What about me??" Chibimon squeaked, finishing off his drink through a straw. "Huh, Davish?"  
  
"I GUESS you can come, too…" he replied.  
  
"What about me?" Leafmon cut in. Ken chuckled.  
  
"Yeah. Because we're all good friends, and we trust each other, so we do stuff together." Gatomon shot a look at Kari. "We enjoy ourselves, and we're open and we tell each other things that are important. Excuse me for a moment." Gatomon slid off her bench and headed toward the Girls' Room. Kari coughed, then stood.  
  
"You know, I'll go check on her. That sushi must be getting to her."  
  
Ken blinked. "Is something wrong?"  
  
"What? No. Of course not." Kari quickly made her way to the Girls' Room. She wondered if she had answered in that high-pitched voice she always got when she lied. Rubbing her arm, she opened the bathroom door and walked in. Gatomon was sitting on the vanity, tail hanging off, gazing into a mirror. Kari took a deep breath and stood by her.  
  
"You're mad at me, I take it?"  
  
"Not really mad…confused."  
  
"I see."  
  
"No." Gatomon turned her blue eyes to Kari. "If you did, you would tell the others. But you sit there, lying through your teeth while I sit there worrying. I would tell them, but it's not my place. It's yours. But you don't. You act like nothing happened, IS happening. And it hurts me, Kari. You won't even tell me. You keep quiet, like a turtle in its shell."  
  
Every word from Gatomon struck Kari like knives. It was all true. Gatomon had always made sense, and always told the truth unless it was an emergency.  
  
"I don't want to worry them with something they probably won't be able to help with anyway. There's no point. Let me try to get a good grip on what this is about, and then…" But Gatomon interrupted her.  
  
"Kari, the turtle's not going anywhere if it stays shut up in its shell."  
  
There was a moment of silence. Finally Kari said, "I'll tell you what I know. But don't tell the others just yet, okay?"  
  
Gatomon nodded. "Finally, the turtle sticks its head out a little."  
  
************************  
  
"You think something's wrong?"  
  
Davis looked to T.K., whose gaze traveled over to the Girls' Room.  
  
"You wanna follow and find out?" Davis snipped, still not happy about the smiling and winking that occurred earlier.  
  
"No."  
  
"They'll come out in a minute," Ken said neutrally.  
  
"You don't know girls, Ken. The bathroom is their hangout. And have you ever noticed how they always go to the bathrooms in groups of two?"  
  
"Mysterious," said T.K.  
  
"Girls aren't normal," said a thoughtful Chibimon. Patamon and Leafmon nodded. A few minutes passed, and T.K. shifted his weight uncomfortably.  
  
"I'm going to go check on them," he announced after a pause. He looked to the people coming in and out of the building, wondering if he really meant what he said.  
  
************************  
  
Tao stood by the entrance to Yikani's burgers, a paper bag from the Italian stop in hand. Cystamon had concealed herself somehow under her hat, and even though it bulged a little Tao knew people wouldn't pay much attention to her. They never did.  
  
She liked it that way.  
  
Even though she had just arrived, Tao could see something was up. The three guys and their Digimon were sitting at the table alone, looking fidgety, and the girl with the white cat was no where in sight. Slipping through the door behind a young man, Tao sauntered over to a wall, leaning against it and watching them more closely.  
  
"I wonder where the girl and her Digimon is," Cystamon's muffled voice came from under Tao's hat.  
  
"Not at the table," Tao observed. Thinking, she narrowed her eyes. "Maybe in the Girls' Room." Straightening up, she made her way there, keeping her chin tucked into her chest and her hands in her pockets. By doing this she had learned people often left you alone. Deliberately she walked close by the table where the guys were sitting, scanning them over out of the corner of her eyes. None of them looked very dangerous, or their Digimon, especially the two little ones, which she guessed were in their In- Training stage. She noticed the tallest and oldest looking boy glance at her. Brushing off his piercing gaze, she strolled to the door of the Girls' Room and opened the door and stepped in…  
  
…Bumping right into the girl.  
  
"Ah! Oh, I'm sorry!" the girl yelped, surprised. She smiled nervously and stepped to the side. "Are you okay?"  
  
Tao, on the other hand, bit her lip so she wouldn't scream at the pain jolting up her leg, numbing her senses. The girl had accidentally stepped right on her left foot, which was one extremely delicate place. "I'm fine," she snapped. "Watch where you step next time."  
  
The girl was not phased. It was then Tao noticed the white cat standing by the girl's leg, studying her. Pulling her cap more so over her eyes, Tao frowned at it.  
  
"Are you sure you're okay?" the girl asked again.  
  
"Didn't you believe me the first time?" Tao retorted icily. She studied the girl's features. Pretty, around her age. Amber eyes, smooth skin and brown hair cut short, one side pulled back with a red clip. A camera around her neck, which was something a bit new to Tao, a pink shirt and blue jeans. Pink would usually look childish on someone her age, but it fitted her well.  
  
"Hey…your sock."  
  
It took a moment for that to register through Tao's mind. Looking down, she saw a faint red stain on her sock, and gradually spreading. Her face fell. "Shoot."  
  
"I am SO sorry! Come on, I'll help you clean up that…" Taking Tao's arm, the girl pulled her gently into the bathroom. The cat followed close behind, keeping Tao under her gaze. Tao felt the cat was possibly regarding her as a threat.  
  
"Look, I said I was fine!" she snipped, gradually losing her temper. The girl seemed to mean well, but that wasn't the point. This wasn't supposed to happen…her plan was going wrong already.  
  
"The least I can do is help you with your foot…mind rolling down your sock?" Without waiting for an answer, the girl grabbed some paper towels and began wetting them.  
  
"Did you not…" Tao stopped herself in mid-sentence. Maybe her plan wasn't blown after all. Originally she had plotted listening in on the group's conversation from a nearby table, but perhaps she could get more information from this girl alone.  
  
It was all needed for her Master Plan.  
  
Tao sat down on the bathroom floor, took off her shoe and sock and said, "I'm sorry for being rude. You caught me by surprise." She masked her natural voice with a sweet kindness, without overdoing it. Her gaze fell to her ankle. A long gash ran diagonally across it, stretching down the length of her foot and stopping right behind her pinky-toe. The cut itself was black, almost like a tattoo, but when the girl had stepped on her foot it had reopened and was bleeding slowly. Nothing serious or grotesque, but it did hurt.  
  
"Itai! Does it hurt really bad?" the girl asked, kneeling by her and placing the wet paper across her foot, pressing it gently.  
  
"Not really," Tao lied, "but the cut was already there. You really don't have to do this, you know." The pain was decreasing, and with it Tao's patience with the girl. Who could be this nice? She was obviously up to something, or extremely dense. "I'm Tao, by the way."  
  
"I'm Hikari, but call me Kari. And…" the girl nodded her head over to the white cat standing just behind her. "…That's Gatomon."  
  
Kari watched Tao closely for any hint of emotion. She knew the normal human being would be scared of Gatomon, or very curious one. But Tao's face was masked, and no flicker of even a thought shone through. Gatomon also had a masked face on, looking right back at Tao. It was then that Kari knew they weren't going to get along well, if at all.  
  
"Cystamon. It's okay to come out." Tao's hat wiggled, bulged, then from out under the rim slid a Digimon. Kari's eyes widened. This girl is a Digidestined, she thought, of all things?? But that is a Digimon…she must be…  
  
The Digimon, called Cystamon, regarded Kari and Gatomon warily. She sat on Tao's shoulder, her tail wrapped around her neck.  
  
"Wow…so…you're a Digidestined?" Kari asked after a pause. Gatomon's eyes flickered to her, then back to Tao and Cystamon. Those two weren't going out of her sight. She got a bad feeling from them, and after hearing Kari's story she was more protective and short-tempered than usual.  
  
"You could say that."  
  
"Double wow. So…I think it's stopped bleeding." Kari pulled the paper towels away and sure enough the bleeding had stopped. Taking some tissue, Kari folded it and placed it gently over the foot and on the ankle. "The tissue will help cushion it."  
  
No duh, Tao thought. She put her sock back on, and carefully slipped her sneaker back on. There was a sting of pain but it subsided. She stood, brushing off her cut-off jeans. Kari got up after her, tossing the bloody paper towels into the trashcan.  
  
"How'd that happen?"  
  
Kari's question surprised Tao. "What?"  
  
"The cut. How'd you get it?" Kari didn't know why she was so cautious of Tao. She had helped her, but a sick feeling lingered in the back of her stomach whenever she looked at her.  
  
"Glass," Tao replied after a moment. Her voice was dark and mysterious again, without the fake kindness or generosity she had used earlier. "So. Are you here with your boyfriends?"  
  
"Boyfriends? Well, yeah, if you mean friends," replied Kari.  
  
"You don't have a boyfriend?"  
  
"No. Do you?"  
  
Tao flinched. Was this girl called Kari getting sarcastic with her? Playing games with her? No one played games with Tao. Tao was the one who played games, who often made them up, and often broke the rules.  
  
"Of course not, boys are worthless," Tao snipped.  
  
"Not worthless, unless their name is Tai. Who are you here with?"  
  
"No one." Tao leered some, just to intimidate Kari. "I like it that way," she added darkly.  
  
"Ah…that's cool. You want to meet my friends? They're Digidestined, too." Despite Tao's obvious efforts to make Kari dislike her, Kari tried anyway. She could tell Tao had a wall around herself, and kept it up.  
  
"How long have you been a 'Digidestined'?" Tao asked Kari, evading her question.  
  
"Since I was a little kid, years and years ago." Kari could feel her patience and like for this girl wear thin. She didn't like this game she was playing, where Tao asked all the questions and she answered. "What about you?"  
  
"A while."  
  
"Surely 'a while' means an obvious time span," Gatomon said, "and surely you know the length of that time span." Her voice was low and silky, radiating with barely hidden anger. Tao was getting on her nerves, playing games with her Digidestined. Even the silent Cystamon was getting on her nerves, just by being there.  
  
Tao looked to Gatomon, along with Cystamon. She considered this cat-type Digimon. "A few years. And it would be best if you didn't pick at everything I say, Digimon."  
  
"Her name's Gatomon," Kari retorted hotly. "Look, if you're going to be a pain, go on. I'm going back to my friends. So long." She turned and walked out of the bathroom, Gatomon following close behind. Tao stood in the door, Cystamon still sitting silently on her shoulder. A smirk made its way on her face.  
  
"Phase one of Master Plan is complete, I take it?" Cystamon asked after a minute.  
  
"Yes," Tao responded. "Kari thinks she is traveling her own road, but she doesn't know I'm paving her way for her. And its end may not be quite what she nor anyone else expects."  
  
************************  
  
"Yay, Kari's back!"  
  
Kari twitched as she made her way over to the Digidestined table. Davis' voice practically echoed through the restaurant. She smiled and slipped back into her seat, Gatomon beside her.  
  
"Sure took you a long time," T.K. observed.  
  
"Sorry," said Kari.  
  
"You know how us girls are," Gatomon added.  
  
"Who was that girl who went in after you?" Ken asked curiously.  
  
"Huh? What girl?"  
  
"A girl with a cap. I saw her go in after you."  
  
"Dude, Ken, you were watching girls going in and out of the girls' bathroom?" asked Davis.  
  
"You watch girls 24/7," Leafmon chirped from Ken's lap. Davis leaned back, his hands behind his head. "Of course!" he replied sunnily, "But mostly Kari."  
  
"Davish, you're obsessed!" Chibimon piped up.  
  
"And you're obsessed with-" Chibimon leaped and yanked Davis' hair, cutting him off in mid-sentence. "OWWW!"  
  
"Food?" Patamon put in. Chibimon nodded quickly, a big grin plastered on his face.  
  
"Yesh! That's what Davish was going to say. But I saw a bug in his hair, so I got it!" Chibimon explained, the smile not leaving his face. Davis rubbed his head.  
  
"My hair," he pouted.  
  
"Her name was Tao," said Kari while smiling at the antics going on.  
  
"And Cystamon," Gatomon added, looking to Kari then back to the others.  
  
"Wait. Cystamon. CystaMON? Mon? As in DigiMON?" T.K. asked, surprised.  
  
"Yep," Kari confirmed. "She's a Digidestined, at least it looks like it. She was pretty snippy and rude. I ran into her while I was walking out and she was walking in, and her foot got hurt. I helped her out."  
  
"I didn't like her, nor her Digimon, one bit," Gatomon said coolly. Kari raised an eyebrow at her.  
  
"Leave it to you to be honest," she observed.  
  
"It must take a lot for Gatomon not to like somebody," Ken said thoughtfully. "Did you get any bad vibes from her, Kari?"  
  
"Well…yeah. She just seemed…I don't know. Dark-like. Keeping to herself, like there was something bigger going on that she was involved in," she responded just as thoughtfully.  
  
"Would she be considered an enemy?" Davis wondered aloud. "Sort of like another Ken?"  
  
"I'm not sure. I wouldn't jump to any conclusions." Kari scratched her arm, considering that herself.  
  
"Either way, she doesn't stand a chance against us if she's bad! And if she's good, we'll make her good, right?" Chibimon hopped onto the table, standing tall. "Because there's nothing we can't beat, right??"  
  
"Right, pal!" Davis agreed, grinning hugely. "Looks like we have another mystery on our hands! And…er…paws. And stuff."  
  
************************  
  
-Bus-  
  
6:35 PM  
  
  
  
"Is there something you're not telling me?" T.K. asked Kari as the lights of the city streaked by outside the bus window. Davis was fast asleep on the opposite seat of the bus, snoring soundly to himself, stretched out and comfortable. T.K. and Kari were sitting by each other, Kari by the window. On the seat in front of them was Patamon, Veemon, and Gatomon. Chibimon had digivolved, feeling a little left out in his in-training form. They had dropped off Ken at his cousin's house, where his mom would pick him up. Now they were on a bus heading towards Kari's apartment, as it was closer on this route. It would take an hour or so, as the bus had other stops.  
  
"What? No, of course not," Kari lied. "I would tell you if something was wrong, T.K…"  
  
"You seem a little shook up by that girl, Tao…" T.K. said. "I was just wondering…you know, if there was something else that was bothering you…"  
  
Kari took T.K.'s hand in her own, holding it in her lap. He looked to her and she looked back, smiling warmly. "You heard what Chibimon said, that we can beat anything. So don't worry about losing, because it's not going to happen."  
  
T.K. nodded, smiling back. "You're right. Maybe I'm the one that's shook up." Looking into Kari's understanding eyes, he added: "And you know what's best for you, so I shouldn't worry about that either."  
  
He wanted so much to kiss her then. It seemed like the right time, right place, and right by Davis of all things. But the second the thought entered his mind, fear of rejection welled up in his heart. He just nodded again and leaned back into the seat, but kept his hand in hers. Kari, feeling a little relieved and disappointed all at the same time, leaned back against her seat and closed her eyes.  
  
Takeru…if only you knew…I know nothing…she thought as she drifted off to sleep.  
  
"Veemon?"  
  
Veemon blinked, then yawned. He had almost drifted off to sleep, but the sound of Gatomon's voice woke him up. He looked over. Patamon was sound asleep, but Gatomon was wide awake, sitting in-between them. "Yes, Gatomon?" he asked.  
  
"What made you say that…today. Earlier." She turned to her side to where she could look at him better.  
  
"Say what?"  
  
"That we can beat anything."  
  
Veemon shifted his weight some, turning himself where he could face Gatomon better. She was looking at him with puzzled blue eyes. She wanted to talk, he could tell, and that was fine with him. Just being with her made him feel more confident in himself. "Well…we have before. And with our strength and courage and stuff, we can beat or do anything, just like earlier times. Why?"  
  
"I just wonder sometimes…if there's something out there we can't beat," she said.  
  
"Nah. And even if we go against something tough, we'll overcome it sooner or later."  
  
"You have a lot of confidence."  
  
Veemon was a little surprised at that comment. "You mean you don't? You're the one that taught me confidence."  
  
"How so?" Gatomon asked curiously.  
  
"Well…you were always so sure of yourself, I guess. And after learning about your past, and how you handled that and went against Myotismon and everything…I admire you. I usually just take things as they come…a little hothead at times. But you think things out. You have the confidence to go in knowing what your doing, and I go in blindly," replied Veemon. He flinched at the little extra emotion that somehow slipped in his voice when he said 'I admire you'.  
  
"I'm not always so confident…I just put on a show sometimes…" Gatomon sighed, sleep tugging at her eyes now. It had been a tiring day for her. "Thanks for that, Veemon…I never knew I was admired…"  
  
Veemon smiled, bushing. "No problem, Gato…You come to me when I need confidence and I'll go to you when I need it."  
  
Gatomon smiled, closing her eyes, and leaned against the back of her seat. Her paw came to rest by Veemon's hand as she drifted off to sleep. "Sounds like a plan to me…"  
  
Veemon snuggled back against his seat, and after a pause inched his hand closer to Gatomon's paw. He knew it was stupid, but he did it anyway. He was taken completely by surprise that a few minutes later, in her sleep, she moved and her paw slipped into his hand.  
  
"Sounds like a plan to me, too…" he said softly, and drifted off to sleep himself.  
  
************************  
  
-??????????-  
  
-Meanwhile-  
  
He watched them. He read their thoughts. He could sense their hear rates, their emotions, their feelings or desires.  
  
He could see their strengths, their weaknesses.  
  
Watching them, he carefully went over his plan. It was perfect, flawless! He could see the ending in the future, as he had seen the beginning in the past.  
  
He could see the girl named Tao and her Digimon, Cystamon, standing on the sidewalk, watching the bus go by. He could hear her thoughts, feel her anger. And beneath the anger and solitude, pain.  
  
It was flawless. He was flawless!  
  
Snickering some to himself, Flawless turned his attention back to the Digidestined. He peered into the young girl's mind, drifting through her dreamless thoughts. All of them were a part of his plan. Even the one who thought she was playing the pieces as much as he, she was in it to. Part of his plan. Pieces, all of them.  
  
His Master Plan.  
  
  
  
  
  
Who is this strange girl named Tao and her Digimon, Cystamon, and what do they want?  
  
Will Kari ever tell the others about her dreams?  
  
Will Davis ever stop snoring?  
  
And is Veemon right…can they beat anything?  
  
Who or what is this thing called Flawless? And what is his Master Plan?  
  
Find out in Chapter Four of 'The Missing Piece of Light; One Fallen Angel' to find out! 


	4. Chapter 4: Warnings And Fears

Insanity Angel Kari: Well howdy-doo, here's Chapter Four!  
  
KC: You're actually getting reviews? WHAT DAH HECK! T.T;  
  
Insanity Angel Kari: singing I get knocked down! And I get up again! Ain't never gonna keep me down! I get knocked DOWN! And I get up again!…  
  
KC: AHHHH! NOOOO! You're going to get that stuck in my head! X_X;  
  
Insanity Angel Kari: That was dah point…anyhow! ^_^ As I have ALREADY stated, I just like stating it, I do not own Digimon. Digimon does not own me. There is no owning between us. Hoo-hah! No flamings please, as already requested. And as usual I'll require some reviews before uploading another chapter. I do that because if you work hard at someone and no one reads or reviews or whatever, well… that takes the whole point out of it!  
  
KC: Exactly. The whole point out of it. Like there's no point why I'm here?  
  
Insanity Angel Kari: You are here for me to torture…MUHAHAHAH! evil laughter echoes  
  
KC: BACK DEMON! pulls out the next chapter as a shield  
  
  
  
Chapter Four  
  
  
  
Was it real?  
  
It was the next day, and Kari was lying in her bed looking up at the ceiling…well…the bottom of Tai's bunk-bed, but she could dream! Thoughts were whizzing through her mind at top speed, only to come back and race by again. She was stirring, that's what she called it. Going through the same thought or problem over and over in her mind, only to come back to it a few minutes later.  
  
"KARI!"  
  
Sitting up, Kari blinked. "Yeah, Tai?" His voice was coming from the far side of the room, out of sight.  
  
"I've got a date with Sora and I need to get dressed but I think there's a rat in my closet!"  
  
"You're 19! The rat's probably scared enough just by looking at your face…" Kari yawned and flopped back down on the bed.  
  
"Kari! You know I hate mice! Hey…what was that again?"  
  
"I thought you said it was a rat. There's a difference."  
  
"A rodent!"  
  
"You two would get along together perfectly!"  
  
"Where's Gatomon? Maybe she can get it!"  
  
"I'm grooming," Gatomon purred from on top of Tai's bed. Tai marched into view, stopping beside Kari's bed. The only thing he had on were the baggy red shorts he wore to bed. His hair was fizzed out in every direction, and Kari thought it resembled a mop.  
  
'NOVUS ORDO SECLORUM…'  
  
Kari blinked. "What did you say, Tai?"  
  
"Huh?" It was Tai's turn to blink. "I ASKED if someone could get that- "  
  
"No. Just a second ago."  
  
'NOVUS ORDO SECLORUM…'  
  
"Uh…nothing. Gatomon did you say something?" Tai asked as he looked up to his bed. "Hey, wait a sec…YOU'RE GROOMING IN MY BED AGAIN!"  
  
Gatomon wrinkled her nose at him. "Well, I shall migrate to the dresser, Oh Mighty One Formerly Known As The Strikingly Handsome Tai…" Flicking her tail at him, Gatomon easily hopped down and hopped up onto the dresser.  
  
Kari closed her eyes.  
  
She could have sworn she's heard someone say 'novus ordo seclorum'…  
  
And the voice sounded familiar.  
  
************************  
  
"Novus ordo seclorum? Is that what you said?"  
  
"Yes," Kari told Ken for about the hundredth time. She was still lying on her bed except turned the other way, her legs hanging off the edge. Gatomon was sleeping contently beside her. Tai had finally gotten ready when the 'rodent' turned out to be one of his old house shoes from three years ago. "Do you know what that's about?"  
  
"Well, it sounds like Latin," Ken replied over the phone. Kari switched hands and sighed.  
  
"Can you translate it?" she asked.  
  
"Yes. It means 'a new order has begun'."  
  
"…I see."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Huh? Well…" Kari desperately tried to search for a reasonable lie. She was terribly out of practice, and she couldn't afford to tell the others of her dreams yet. Gatomon would remain the only one who knew. "I heard it on TV and I was curious," she said at last.  
  
"Ah. Okay," Ken said doubtfully. "Glad I could help. Are you sure there's nothing wrong?"  
  
"Why does everyone keep asking me that??" Kari asked, her voice cracking. "I'm fine. Never been better. Thanks for your time, Ken."  
  
"Alright. Ja ne."  
  
"Ja ne."  
  
Kari hung up the phone, then laid back on her bed again. The sound of Gatomon's soft snores slowed her racing heart.  
  
Okay, she thought, let's go through the facts.  
  
First of all, the dreams. Always the same, a little longer and more detailed each time she had them. Always with that strange shadowy figure saying something about being missing. Then there was Tao, the strange girl she met yesterday who seemed to know something. And then today, when she was talking to Tai and she suddenly heard someone say the words 'novus ordo seclorum', which means 'a new order has begun'.  
  
"What does it all mean?" Kari asked the air. She closed her eyes, tired.  
  
************************  
  
It was happening again.  
  
White everywhere. No color whatsoever.  
  
Kari moved her fingers. "The dream again…I must have fallen asleep…" She was once again in her younger body, hovering in the midst of all the white and space, emptiness. She squinted, and sure enough, the outline of a shadowy figure appeared just in front of her, seeming to hover in the space as well.  
  
"It's you again," Kari observed, at a loss for words.  
  
"Yes…" the figure replied morbidly. Kari was a little surprised that it responded. Usually it didn't.  
  
Maybe it wasn't shy anymore.  
  
"Please answer me this time…who or what are you…" pleaded Kari.  
  
"I've always answered you before. You don't seem to understand," the figure responded levelly.  
  
"You're missing, lost, whatever. That's what you always say, and it doesn't make sense!" Kari was loosing her patience again. "I need a name, species, anything."  
  
"I'm just like you…" the figure replied, sadness dripping from its voice. "Too much like you, and yet not enough…"  
  
"Do you always speak in riddles?"  
  
"Novus ordo seclorum…"  
  
Kari jerked at the words. "Wait a minute…was that you I heard earlier?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"A new order has begun. What does that mean?"  
  
"It's a warning."  
  
A chill crept down Kari's spine. "A warning?"  
  
Silence.  
  
"What kind of warning?"  
  
More silence.  
  
"Why don't you answer me?!"  
  
"I'm sorry. That's all I can give. It's already happening…even if you understood it wouldn't matter because it's already in motion…"  
  
"You don't make any sense," grouched an exasperated Kari.  
  
"Hints, warnings. Some from our side, some from the other side. They've been given to you, more than once, in more than one way."  
  
"What?"  
  
"This is bigger then just understanding, Kari. This is something bigger than being angry, than being powerful, than being alive. This is it. The Plan. It's the Plan that's everything right now."  
  
Kari was confused. "Just answer me one thing, or two. Are you good or evil?"  
  
There was a pause, then, "Good."  
  
"Okay…so you're good…and you're trying to help me out with something, right? All these dreams are hints, you're trying to get your message across, right? So something big is going on, and it involves me?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Okay…I've got that much…I have another question."  
  
The figure shifted its weight, looking a little uncomfortable. "What's that?"  
  
"There was this girl…Tao…is she a part of this?"  
  
"…In more ways than one."  
  
"Good or…evil?"  
  
The figure peered at Kari.  
  
"That remains to be seen."  
  
"Ah. Mysterious there… can you tell me one more thing?"  
  
"…"  
  
"What's your name?"  
  
************************  
  
Kari opened her eyes then yawned.  
  
"No!" she sat up on her bed. "I didn't get the name…" Kari scolded herself for waking up too soon.  
  
Ring! Ring!  
  
Kari gave the phone a murderous glare.  
  
Ring! Ring!  
  
Gatomon woke up at the noise, rubbed her eyes, and also gave the phone a murderous glare.  
  
Ring! Ring!  
  
"That'd better not be Tai," Kari mumbled, picking up the phone. "Hello?" she asked in her sweet I'm-going-to-see-who-you-are-you'd-better- not-be-anyone-I-don't-like-but-hello voice.  
  
"Hi. Is this Kari?" Yolie's comforting voice from the other end of the phone calmed Kari.  
  
"Yeah, this is she. Is this Yolie?"  
  
"Yep! What have you been up to?"  
  
"Not much," Kari half-way lied. "I went with the guys to Yikani's yesterday."  
  
"So I heard, straight from Davis' big mouth. You lucky thing."  
  
"Heh."  
  
"I also heard about some kind of girl. Tay? Tar?"  
  
"Tao. Yeah."  
  
"Ah. Yeah, that's what I meant. But anyway, I was wondering…you want to go somewhere today? I'm feeling better and I want to par-tay!"  
  
"Hmmm…sure, I guess so. I kicked Tai out of the house."  
  
"He's with Sora again, I take it?"  
  
"He calls it a date but they're really just going to hang out. I still think Sora has a thing for Matt."  
  
"Interesting. Anyway, where do you feel like going, and do you mind if the others come?" asked Yolie.  
  
"It doesn't really matter. I don't mind the others coming. How about we meet at the beach?"  
  
"Yeah! 1: 00 sharp, by the old sand dunes! I'll call everyone else. Wear your swimsuit!" Yolie hung up.  
  
"What was that all about?" asked Gatomon as Kari hung up the phone.  
  
"Feel like going to the beach?"  
  
"Hmmm…go to the beach or stay here and smell Tai's dirty socks all day? Is that even a choice?" Gatomon grinned.  
  
Kari grinned back. "I guess not. I'll write Tai a note. On the way there, there's something I've got to tell you anyway."  
  
"Is it anything that's got to do with…those dreams?"  
  
"More than you think."  
  
************************  
  
-Bus-  
  
12:39 AM  
  
  
  
"My hhhhhoooommmmmeee keeps gettin' farther awayyyyyyy, gotta call you back to meeee so I can saaaaayyyyy how much I care!" The radio practically blasted the music all over the bus. Kari writhed in her seat, scrunching up her face.  
  
"Please…no…more…" she grumped as the song ended, the started over again. The bus driver was doing a little jig in his seat. Obviously he liked the song.  
  
"Want to move back some more?" Gatomon asked.  
  
"You've got better ears than me, and that…SONG…is not bothering you?" Kari asked Gatomon.  
  
"I have selective hearing. And besides, I've got other things to worry about, like you."  
  
Kari nodded, smiling some at her best friend's care. They moved back a few seats, to where the song was fainter.  
  
"I hope I have a good time, forget about this stuff for a while, at least," Kari sighed, looking out the window.  
  
"Don't worry. Remember whatever happens, I'll always be right here." Gatomon snuggled up to Kari, smiling.  
  
"You always have," Kari replied, leaning against the seat and hugging Gatomon, looking out the window and trying to forget.  
  
************************  
  
-Beach-  
  
2:33 PM  
  
  
  
"Woo-hoo! Catch it, Ken!" Davis flung the frisbee over to Ken, and it sailed easily toward him. Ken grinned, jumping up, catching it, then landing back in the water and throwing it right back.  
  
"You catch it!" he laughed.  
  
Yolie pulled her sunglasses down a notch so she could watch the guys make fools of themselves. She looked over to Kari, who was stretched out in a chair beside her. "Got any more lotion?"  
  
"Hmm?" Kari asked, pulling her hat up a bit. "Oh, sure. Here." She reached down then tossed the bottle to Yolie. Gatomon opened an eye and looked at them, then curled up tighter in her ball. She was snoozing by Kari's umbrella, Poromon beside her. Ken, Davis, T.K., Cody, and their Digimon were all out in the water, having a game of frisbee while Yolie and Kari tanned on the beach.  
  
"Whew!" Veemon sloshed up onto the sand then shook himself dry. He rubbed his head and plopped down beside Gatomon and Poromon.  
  
"Did something happen?" asked Poromon.  
  
"Frisbee hit me in the head," replied Veemon. "Of course it doesn't really hurt. My head's too hard."  
  
Gatomon opened her eye again. "I don't see how you can play in all that wet stuff…"  
  
"Huh? Water? You don't like water, Gatomon?" Veemon asked, mystified.  
  
"No. I'm a cat. We prefer to stay dry." Gatomon yawned.  
  
"Come on, give it a try," Veemon pleaded. "I'll make sure you don't drown. And I won't ask you to do it again. Please?"  
  
Gatomon slowly uncurled and yawned again. "I don't know…"  
  
"Pleeeeeease?"  
  
"Well…"  
  
"Pretty please?"  
  
"Okay…"  
  
"Woo-hoo!" Veemon grinned, hopping up and down. "Let's go!" He took off down the beach, Poromon bouncing behind him. Gatomon followed.  
  
"Looks like our Digimon have abandoned us," Yolie observed.  
  
"Looks like it," Kari agreed.  
  
"You want to join them in the water and see if we can get our white selves to tan later?" Yolie proposed.  
  
"Sure," agreed Kari. "You go on, I'm going to grab a drink really quick." Yolie nodded and got up, racing down to the water. Kari got up afterwards and made her way to a concession stand just a few yards away.  
  
"Whatcha want, pretty lady?" the man in the stand asked. Kari had learned his name as Todd.  
  
"Can I have a Sprite?"  
  
"Sure! Just hold on one second, let me find the cups…"  
  
Kari smiled, leaning against the stand. She was scanning the beach when something caught her eye.  
  
Tao.  
  
At first she was hard to recognize, but the fact she was not wearing a bathing suit did set her apart. She was still wearing the old cap on her head. Her pale green eyes were also scanning the beach. Her sandy blonde hair fell carelessly around her shoulders. She also wore the same red shirt and cut-off blue jeans as before, and sneakers. Her hat bulged some, and Kari could guess it was Cystamon under there.  
  
Tao's gaze fell on Kari. Her expression did not change. She wasn't far away, and after a pause she began to walk closer.  
  
Kari didn't move.  
  
Bring it on.  
  
Tao reached Kari a moment later, her arms hanging loosely at her sides. The wind blew a few strands of her hair in front of her face and her eyes narrowed. "Kari."  
  
"Tao." Kari crossed her arms, feeling a bit uncomfortable but not wanting to show it. "…What do you want?"  
  
Tao tilted her head, her face masked. "My own reasons."  
  
"Ah. So…anyway, I'm sorry if you think I'm mad at you or something. Yesterday wasn't a good day."  
  
Tao narrowed her gaze even more. "I see."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Dreams keep you awake?"  
  
Kari froze. "What are you talking about?" she choked out.  
  
"The missing piece of light;  
  
One fallen angel  
  
A soul afraid of dying  
  
That never learned to live  
  
A heart afraid of breaking  
  
That was too afraid to give."  
  
Kari's eyes widened, hearing Tao quote the poem that so often filled her dreams. "How…how did you…" Her mind wandered back to her dream earlier that day…  
  
-Flashback-  
  
  
  
'Okay…I've got that much…I have another question.'  
  
'What's that?'  
  
'There was this girl…Tao…is she a part of this?'  
  
'…In more ways than one.'  
  
'Good or…evil?'  
  
'That remains to be seen.'  
  
  
  
-End Flashback-  
  
  
  
"You knew about my dreams…all along?" Kari asked haltingly.  
  
Tao leered, a twisted form of a smile on her face. "Of course I knew."  
  
"Who are you, exactly? What do you want?"  
  
Tao shrugged. "I, ME, MYSELF…I don't want anything from you."  
  
"Then…"  
  
"I'm just…in touch with someone who wants something from you."  
  
Kari looked more intently at Tao. "Please. Explain this to me.  
  
Tao turned, her back facing Kari. "Just think of me as a warning. A beacon. A sign of something to come that you can't do anything about." She turned her head to look back at her. "Something that will happen."  
  
Kari gaped as Tao turned her head and walked off, seeming to fade into the mist formed by waves washing on shore and the strange dance of light on the sand.  
  
************************  
  
Cody spotted Kari first. "Hey, Kari. Did you finally get your drink?"  
  
Kari stopped at the edge of the water. A weak smile found its way on her face, but it was obvious to anyone really watching that she was shook up. "Long line. Ready for me to join you fish?"  
  
"Sure!" T.K. said, grinning happily. He climbed up on the sand and cocked his head at her. "Well?"  
  
Kari eyed him. "You look suspicious."  
  
T.K. grinned again. "Me? Never!" With an easy motion he scooped Kari up into his arms.  
  
"AHH! Hey!" Kari yelped.  
  
T.K. ran back into the surf, then threw Kari into the water. She came sputtering back to the surface.  
  
"Oh, it is so on!" she cried. "We play frisbee. My team against yours, buddy!"  
  
"I'm on Kari's team!" Yolie said.  
  
"Me, too!" Davis chimed in. "We'll beatcha!"  
  
"Thanks Yolie, Davis!" Kari said. She smirked at T.K., Ken, and Cody. "You are going DOWN, buds!"  
  
Thus, the game of frisbee commenced. Davis was an exceptional player, having experience in sports. Ken was right there with him. T.K. as a quick learner, and Kari used to play with Tai as a little kid. Yolie and Cody needed some schooling, but eventually they got the hang of it.  
  
Gatomon was another story.  
  
"AH! Something touched my foot! I felt it!" Gatomon looked around, looking a bit funny with her wet ears hanging by her face. She inched closer to the shore.  
  
"It's just seaweed, probably. Nothing to worry about. Don't go on me now!" said Veemon, gently taking her arm and pulling her back. "It's fun once you get used to it!"  
  
Gatomon shuddered. "I feel like tuna, and I eat that stuff."  
  
"I've never tried it," said Veemon.  
  
"You should! It's really good."  
  
"Any other kind of fish you like to eat?" Veemon smiled inwardly. So far he was distracting Gatomon long enough for her to get used to water. They weren't as deep as the Digidestined, still in their game of frisbee along with the other Digimon.  
  
"Any fish, really. Cat food's good," said Gatomon thoughtfully.  
  
"Hey, I've tried that!" Veemon said truthfully. Gatomon blinked.  
  
"What made you try cat food?"  
  
"I was hungry," Veemon admitted, rubbing his stomach.  
  
"Speaking of which…you want to go the stand and get a snack?" proposed Gatomon.  
  
"Hmmm…sure! Do they still have those slushies?"  
  
"Last time I checked!" Gatomon smiled and took off onto the beach, stopping to wring her tail and ears out. Veemon hopped out beside her, and then they both raced across the sand toward the stand. When they reached it, Todd smiled and tipped his sunglasses at them. He was used to them, as they came to the beach often. Being a surfer bum, the only thing he gave much thought to was surfboards, waves, and chicks.  
  
"Whatcha want, my Blue Man?" Todd asked.  
  
"Do you have any lime slushies?" Veemon asked. He froze, then looked to Gatomon. "Uh-oh. I don't have any money with me…"  
  
"No problem," said Gatomon, smiling. She held up her paw and began to take her glove off, then stopped. "Do…do you mind turning around?" She looked uncomfortable.  
  
"Sure," Veemon said, a little puzzled. He had always wondered why Gatomon never took her gloves off. But, he knew it wasn't his place to ask, so he turned. A second later Gatomon said, "You can turn around now."  
  
Veemon turned to see Gatomon holding some money in her paw.  
  
"I always keep some in my glove," she explained. "It's from Tai's piggy bank."  
  
"Wait. Tai's got a piggy bank?" asked a mystified Veemon.  
  
"Yep. Pink and everything, oink oink."  
  
Veemon laughed and Gatomon handed Todd the money. "Strawberry Passion, please," she requested. Todd took the money and began to make their orders. Veemon leaned against the stand, watching Gatomon out of the corner of his eye. He couldn't help it…just seeing her white fur outlined by the sand, it was enough to make him believe he was dreaming. He had a huge crush, he knew. It was more than that…real love.  
  
"I'm sorry for making you turn around," Gatomon said, breaking the silence.  
  
Veemon shook his head. "No problem."  
  
"It just…bad memories, that's all. I don't want to flash them at everybody. I'm not looking for pity or anything."  
  
"Of course not," said Veemon honestly.  
  
"Kari's the only one who's seen me without my gloves…"  
  
"What about Patamon?" Veemon asked, then regretted it.  
  
Woo-hoo, Veemon, he thought. Why don't you just blow everything out the window, huh? Stupid!  
  
Gatomon sighed, rubbing her head. "No. I don't get it! Everyone thinks Patamon and I have this thing going on. We're friends, and that's all. Anything more would ruin our friendship. We're both too…I don't know. It wouldn't work that way."  
  
"I'm sorry," apologized Veemon. "I've always just assumed…gah. I'm just stupid, let's leave it at that. Remember yesterday, I told you I do things without thinking…" Thinking about yesterday, Veemon blushed some, remembering the incident on the bus.  
  
"No…I guess it must seem like it. Don't worry, Veemon. Patamon's a great friend, but he's just not my type…"  
  
"Who…what is your type, then?" Veemon asked haltingly. He hated sounding so nosey, but he couldn't help it. He had to find out!  
  
Gatomon leaned beside Veemon and he felt their shoulders brush against each other. He tingled at her soft touch. She turned her head to him.  
  
"Someone loyal, brave, a great friend to begin with…someone with a heart, morals to go by, someone on my level and above my level in ways… Someone who knows what I feel, and someone who sometimes…doesn't think before they do something."  
  
Veemon felt a lump rise in his throat, and he swallowed. Her face was so close… was she implying something? Could there be the small, tiny possibility…that she liked him?  
  
Kiss her kiss her! A voice in Veemon's head chanted.  
  
No! You'll bomb! Another voice argued.  
  
Gatomon leaned forward, and Veemon almost felt his heart stop. But she just smiled and said, "Our orders are ready."  
  
Veemon nodded, faking a cool grin. They took their orders from Todd and sipped on them as they walked back down the beach toward their Digidestined.  
  
************************  
  
"Does she look scared to you?" asked Tao, standing in the shadows of the sand dunes. Her gaze was locked on Kari, still in the water playing frisbee. Cystamon looked down at her, her eyes having the same deep, dark expression as her Digidestined's.  
  
"Humans are good at lying, in words and in appearance," she answered simply.  
  
"Well…" Tao closed her eyes, feeling the salty air breeze by her face, "When she begs for mercy, saying how she's failed, how she's accomplished nothing, how she can do nothing, at my feet…she won't be lying then…"  
  
-Don't think so highly of yourself, Kuroi.-  
  
Tao's head jerked, her eyes open. The mention of her last name startled her out of her dreams of victory. Cystamon tensed on her head. The voice echoed in her mind, like the rumble of thunder across the vast stretch of a long forgotten, dark ocean.  
  
-Warnings are in place. The game is about to begin. It is now use against them, the Dark against the Light, the shadow of the light broadening and the pieces are set. All can be discarded, a few saved. But remember this, it is I who tell when the pieces go. Don't manipulate them, because you will fail. This is no game of mercy. I still hold you, Kuroi, a frail trinket in my hand. I can break you, like a shattered star dying in the midst of the birth of something new and more deadly.-  
  
"Yes, Flawless," Tao whispered to the breeze that had suddenly turned cold. Her lip trembled. "I am sorry for being a fool. I will do my part as you have planed for me and I will not exceed my boundaries…"  
  
-The Plan is in motion, and you have set the stage. Let the girl named Hikari sweat, and let ones of the Light tremble as they await my move. It is peaceful now, but very soon there will be an unexpected gale. You'll have to make another move soon.-  
  
"Yes, Flawless."  
  
-The Plan is everything now.-  
  
Tao sank to her knees, burying her fingers in the cool sand. Cystamon hopped down and sat on the ground beside her and looked out toward the ocean as the voice of Flawless faded like dew in the desert.  
  
  
  
  
  
Wow…things are unfolding quick. Just when Kari gets into a conversation with that elusive being, she wakes up. Her luck, huh? Who is this figure who seems to want to help her?  
  
But obviously something big is going to happen. As Kari's been warned, there's going to be a fight, and she's involved. But how, and why?  
  
Flawless seems to have his own plans, and they involve Tao. He's going to carry out his Plan, and from what's been said it's not good… can Kari and the other Digidestined stop it?  
  
Will Kari ever tell the others of her problems?  
  
Warning…novus ordo seclorum. 


	5. Chapter 5: Explanations and Awaiting Cha...

IAK: Here's the next chapter _  
  
KC: Really? Amazing. Absolutely thrilling.  
  
IAK: You're still mad about the skillet thing, aren't you?  
  
KC: rubs head What? No. Of course not. WHY would I be MAD about THAT?  
  
IAK: I dunno! Anyway, stated yet again, there is no owning between Digimon and me. All created characters here belong to moi. And…uh…skillets! Not just for cooking anymore!  
  
KC: Doh…X_X;  
  
IAK: This chapter explains just about everything, and sets the stage for the danger ahead… hope you enjoy! Please review, as I need a few reviews before uploading another chapter.  
  
KC: gets out a skillet Hee-hee-hee… dramatic piano music begins to play  
  
IAK: Uh-oh…BYE! takes off running  
  
KC: HEY! chases  
  
  
  
Chapter Five  
  
  
  
"That was fun!"  
  
Kari cast a suspicious glance at Gatomon. "Hmm?"  
  
"Er…it was." Gatomon grinned sheepishly at her as Kari flopped on the bed, her front half hanging off the side.  
  
"I didn't even get a decent tan…just my luck," Kari grumbled. "I'll always be a white blot on this colored world. But it was fun. I could have sworn I saw you in the water."  
  
"Your eyes must have been playing tricks on you," said Gatomon breezily. She scaled up onto Tai's bunk, then froze. Her nose crinkled up, and with the tip of her tail she flicked his undies down onto Kari's head. "You can have those."  
  
"EW!" Kari responded by throwing them off, only to and on Tai's head as he entered. He blinked, then rolled his eyes up.  
  
"Uh…these are my underwear," he said lamely. Coughing, he picked them up with two fingers and dropped them in the basket. "Anyway. How was your trip today?"  
  
"It was okay…" Kari replied sunnily. Her eyes were dark though, focused on something else.  
  
She was thinking about Tao again.  
  
"You stink…" Tai added helpfully.  
  
"It's the sun tan lotion!" Kari screeched. "TAN lotion. Which didn't work. Which is why I am still white! YES, it stinks! I stink like sun TAN lotion! Which is what I get for trying to TAN! Do you have anything else to say?"  
  
Tai's eyes bulged and Gatomon snickered at him from his bed. "Uh…" he muttered. "…It's a nice kind of stink?"  
  
"Get. Out." Kari grabbed a pillow from her bed. "As in get your behind in motion!" Tai yelped and dropped to the ground as the pillow sailed by overhead, only to smack into Agumon's face as he began to enter to see what was going on.  
  
"HEY! I didn't do anything!" he whined.  
  
Kari rubbed her head, looking to the clock that said 8:03 PM in red, digital letters.  
  
"Let's finish our program," Tai offered. "The dude was about to light himself on fire and run amidst a clan of cannibal marshmallows in the jungles of the Amazon!" With that he grabbed Agumon and quickly exited the room. Gatomon leaned over the bed and flicked an ear at Kari.  
  
"You love your brother, it's so easy to tell," she grinned, and Kari grinned back. There was a heartbeat of silence, in which Gatomon took the opportunity to study Kari more. Kari closed her eyes then reopened them, glancing up to Gatomon. "…What?" she asked blandly.  
  
"There's something else," Gatomon said. "I don't mean to pry, but there's something else you haven't told me. What is it?"  
  
Kari sighed and sat up, rubbing her neck. "…I met Tao again."  
  
"Again? Was she at the beach or something?"  
  
"Yeah. I went to get something at the stand and she met me. She…she knew about my dreams, Gato."  
  
Gatomon tensed, entering her protective mode. "How does she know? Did she tell you?"  
  
"No…she just said she was in touch with someone who wanted something from me. What is this all about Gatomon?!" Kari could feel herself trembling now, her teeth gritted. "What does this person or thing want from me?? Why me?! What do I have that it doesn't?! I can't even sleep now, I'm scared I'll have those dreams again, and now I'm scared I may never wake up in the morning…" She could feel the cold tears well up in her eyes, and then burn hot as they trickled down her skin. Gatomon leaped down from the top bunk and slipped beside her, cuddling next to her in her feline way.  
  
"We'll figure this out, Hikari…" Gatomon purred, using Kari's full name soothingly. She wiped away a tear with her paw. "We've done it before…" Unused to being in this sort of situation, Gatomon wasn't sure what to say.  
  
"I don't want to go through something like the Dark Ocean again…I was almost lost, Gatomon, when I went there…I was almost lost in the blandness, the darkness…I almost lost myself…" Kari was muttering now, glad for Gatomon's support.  
  
"I came for you then…" Gatomon snuggled closer. "I'm here for you now."  
  
"I don't know what to do…I can't stop thinking about Tao…whenever I see her, there's this chill…" Kari took a breath. "…I must sound like a baby right now."  
  
"No, you don't." Gatomon shook her head. "You sound like a girl who's faced with something no one can understand, something dark and looming and something dangerous. But you also sound like a girl who wants to keep all this to herself and not tell anyone else, which makes it worse."  
  
Breathing deeply, Kari smiled wryly. "Fine…I'll tell them…I'll call them." She reached over to the phone, then stopped. "They may not be home yet. I'll call them later…I wonder how they'll react?" Kari gradually felt herself calming down, her heart beating normally again.  
  
"It doesn't matter how they react, just that they know," Gatomon said.  
  
"You think I should tell Tai?" Kari asked, wincing.  
  
"He may be stupid, but he is your brother. And he is more mature then he puts on. I think you should tell him."  
  
Kari gave a swift nod, clambering up and making her way into the living room. Gatomon followed, and they stuck their heads in the doorway. Tai and Agumon were stretched out on the couch watching a soap on TV. Kari took a breath and entered, standing just behind the couch. "…Tai?"  
  
Tai looked up. "Yeah?" He studied her a minute. I wonder if she's going to tell me what's been bugging her for the last few days…he thought. I can tell something's wrong…  
  
"Well…" Kari began.  
  
Buzz!  
  
Kari leaped about a foot in the air and Agumon rolled off the couch in surprise. Gatomon looked toward the door and Tai sat up. "The doorbell," Gatomon said coolly.  
  
"I'll get it…" Kari walked to the door, her hand pausing on the handle. After a moment she took it and pulled the door open.  
  
"Hello," said Tao.  
  
Kari felt her heart stop and her blood run cold. "What the…"  
  
"Who's that?" Tai asked from the couch.  
  
Tao brushed pass Kari and bowed to Tai. "I'm Tristie, Kari's friend. She invited me over. You must be her brother." With that Tao marched back into Kari's room, leaving Kari standing by the door with her mouth open in shock.  
  
"Why that little…" Gatomon, unable to keep her temper checked, began to stomp to Kari's room when Kari grabbed her tail.  
  
"Wait," she hissed. "Tao might have come to talk. Act like she's a friend." Forcing her heart to slow down, Kari smiled at Tai. "I was going to tell you I had a friend coming over, that's all. Glad you've met." She then rushed down the hall, leaving Tai and Agumon sitting there with a dazed and confused look on their face. Gatomon grumbled, to show she wasn't happy with the situation, but followed. When the two reached Kari's room they could see Tao standing by the window.  
  
"What…WHAT are you doing here?" Kari growled, trying to sound intimidating. Gatomon scaled onto the bedpost of the top bunk, staring hard and long at Tao and the bulge under her hat, letting not one movement escape her.  
  
Tao turned, looking a bit annoyed. "I can't come over and say hi?" she mocked.  
  
"What do you want?" Kari continued, taking a step forward yet trying to look cool.  
  
"Well…it's not fun when you're confused." Tao looked a little bored. "My Master wants you to understand. It's funner that way."  
  
"Enlighten me," Kari snapped. She crossed her arms, her eyes narrowed angrily.  
  
Cystamon slipped out from under Tao's hat, perching atop her head. Keeping an eye on the ever-alert Gatomon, she focused the other on Kari.  
  
"Well…" Tao began. "My Master is very, very interested in you, Child of Light. You see, He's been constantly pushed down by Those of the Light, and He can never seem to find a hole in their defenses. If He ever did, He would come to this plain of existence and plunge this entire world into utter Chaos. Beautiful, destructive Chaos. He is powerful, but can't get a firm footing on this plain. So He has constructed a Plan. His Master Plan. And this Plan comes to one end: To use Light against Light. To turn Light into Dark Light and to defeat the opposing Light with it. But He can't seem to achieve that either…He needs a subject to do this with. Someone who has all the properties, but can easily be dealt with. A key, you could say." Tao's breath came faster as she got more and more excited. "Someone He can channel this change with and into. That key, that someone, that channel…is you."  
  
Kari kept her face utterly blank, but she felt her heart was going to burst out of her chest. The world felt as if it was turning upside down and she was falling. Gatomon emitted a low growl from her throat, but Tao and Cystamon paid her no heed.  
  
"The Ones of the Light, of course, suspect something. They got scared, and decided to try and warn you. But they can't, not directly; it's too complicated. So they've been channeling you. The dreams. They created the dreams as a way to communicate, a warning, a vision. Flawless knows this."  
  
"Flawless…is your Master…?" Kari somehow managed to keep her voice from sounding choked.  
  
"Yes, yes."  
  
"The dreams…can you explain them to me…? That poem…?"  
  
Tao yawned. "The poem, another indirect way of warning you.  
  
The missing piece of light;  
  
One fallen angel  
  
A soul afraid of dying  
  
That never learned to live  
  
A heart afraid of breaking  
  
That was too afraid to give.  
  
It's simple, really. Basically, it's about you. Your flaws. They'll defeat you in the end," she said nonchalantly.  
  
"The dreams themselves…?" Kari asked softly.  
  
"Even better." Tao's eyes glittered, filled with malice and deadly energy. Kari looked into those eyes and felt a black void in Tao's heart, and it chilled her to the bone.  
  
"The dreams," Tao began again, "are warnings, as I have said. Simple, yet effective. It begins with white, right? And then you, as your younger self…innocent, new, and so easy to deal with. Then there is the shadow, the person, trying to warn you without directly telling you. And then the void in the sky and the shadow-person being sucked in, lost to you forever…"  
  
Tao paused a moment, then continued.  
  
"That void is Flawless' Chaos. And that shadow, that person being taken away from you…that person…"  
  
Tao leaned forward, an evil glint in her eyes.  
  
"…Is you."  
  
  
  
*************************  
  
-??????????-  
  
-Meanwhile-  
  
  
  
Flawless watched them.  
  
He peered into their thoughts, watching with little interest as his servant Tao explained everything to the girl named Hikari.  
  
Feeling a shift in the field of time and space around Him, Flawless shifted His piercing gaze to the being occupying his area.  
  
-What do you want?- He asked, already knowing the answer. His 'voice' filled every crevice in the air.  
  
The being, only taking the form of a mist of white, shifted its 'weight'. -It's useless. She's one of Us,- the being of Light said simply. The mist packed in tighter until it formed the image of a man, neither young nor old, weak or strong.  
  
-You're not hard to manipulate,- Flawless answered.  
  
-The Dark Ocean was an unfortunate accident. But it made her stronger,- the 'man' argued.  
  
-It left a scar,- Flawless replied darkly. -Besides, my business is not yours. You know the Rules of Engagement. We both work on the mortal plain and play out our war down there, so why bother coming to see me?- He was in a rare 'good' mood, everything going to plan. The unexpected visit by one of the Light's soldiers didn't bother Him.  
  
-I just came to warn YOU,- the being persisted. -You'll fail, like all other minions of the Dark before you. You will never win. The Light will always prevail.-  
  
-Darkness is born from Light, Light is born from Darkness.- Flawless 'breathed' heavily. -We are equal.-  
  
-No!- the being replied angrily. -Evil will never be equal to goodness.-  
  
Flawless 'laughed', and the being angrily disappeared. Turning His gaze back to the mortal world, he 'smirked'.  
  
-This world is my playground...-  
  
*************************  
  
-Takaishi Residence-  
  
-8:26 PM-  
  
  
  
T.K. snuck inside the door, Patamon perched on top of his head. Glancing around the room, he inched towards the hallway where his room was located.  
  
"Hey!" Matt got off the couch where he had gone unseen and walked over to T.K. "How was your day?"  
  
"Oh? I thought you were asleep." T.K. dropped a bag of takeout on the counter. "How about lunch?"  
  
Matt nodded eagerly and both sat at the table, Patamon and Gabumon joining them. While Matt was tearing into his hamburger, T.K. replied, "I had a good day. The beach was nice. Sort of too bad you didn't come, bro."  
  
Matt looked up, finishing off some tofu. "I would have, but it was more of you guy's thing. Us older kids, we need a vacation once in a while too." Matt leaned back in his chair, looking thoughtful. "It's been a while since all of us were together, anyway. I haven't yelled at Tai in who knows how long!" T.K. grinned, sipping at his coke. "Yeah, the memories. By the way, Dad's still at work and Mom's out for the night. We have the house to ourselves. What do you want to do?"  
  
T.K. raised an eyebrow. "Jam to techno music?" he teased. Matt rolled his eyes.  
  
"In our underwear?" T.K. added. Matt rolled his eyes again but grinned anyway.  
  
"That would be something," he said after a minute. "And we could get it on tape, sell if for a few hundred bucks?" It was T.K.'s turn to roll his eyes.  
  
"What if Sora got her hands on it?" Gabumon asked Matt. Matt blinked, then coughed.  
  
"Aw. Sweet," T.K. teased.  
  
"What if Kari got HER hands on it?" Matt shot back.  
  
It was T.K.'s turn to blink and cough.  
  
"Speaking of which, do you think Kari was acting a little weird today?" asked Patamon to T.K.  
  
"I don't know…what do you mean? She seemed normal to me."  
  
"Well…when I was sort of hovering around in the air with you guys while you were playing in the water, I saw her talking to someone. When she came back she looked shook up," Patamon replied.  
  
"Was it…a guy?" T.K. asked haltingly.  
  
"No. It was a girl."  
  
T.K. breathed a sigh of relief.  
  
"Did it look like anyone you know?" inquired Matt.  
  
"No, not that I can think of. Sort of mysterious looking if you ask me," Patamon said thoughtfully. "I didn't really get a good look at her."  
  
"Maybe you should call her," Gabumon proposed, looking to T.K. T.K. nodded, then reached for the phone. The second his hand touched it, it gave a loud 'Ring!'. He glanced to Matt, then picked up the phone. "Hello?" he asked.  
  
"…T.K.?"  
  
"Kari!" T.K. gave a thumbs-up to Matt, Patamon and Gabumon, then focused his attention back to the phone. "What's up?"  
  
"I…I have to tell you something."  
  
T.K. took a deep breath. He was relieved and yet nervous all at once. The sound of her voice was anything but warm and happy. "What is it?"  
  
"…Well…"  
  
*************************  
  
-Motomiya Residence-  
  
-8:45 PM-  
  
  
  
Veemon was lying stretched out on the bed in Davis' room, looking dreamily to the ceiling. His thoughts continued to drift off to Gatomon, and he pinched his arm whenever that happened. After a few minutes, his arm was throbbing and he gave up altogether. "I can't stop thinking about her," he mumbled as Davis entered the room.  
  
"Dude, Veemon. You were all dazed out on the bus, and now you're all dazed out on my bed. Ya mind moving to the floor? I'm about to-" Davis yawned. "-retire for the night."  
  
Veemon rolled over to the opposite side of the bed, giving Davis enough room to plop down by him. "You're going to bed this early?" Veemon asked suspiciously.  
  
"Well, while you were off flirting with Gatomon, I was playing Frisbee AND flirting with Kari. Not to mention working out my handsomeness. I'm pooped," Davis replied, grabbing his Teddy Bear off the floor and hugging it. "Mister Winkles agrees with me," he added, patting the teddy fondly.  
  
Veemon blushed some as the phone rang. Davis rolled over and grabbed it before Jun could answer it. "Hello?"  
  
"Davis?"  
  
"Kari!" Immediately Davis wasn't tired anymore. Sitting up straight in bed, he brushed back his hair. "What's up, Kari?"  
  
"Uh…this isn't Kari."  
  
"Huh?" Davis blinked.  
  
"This is T.K.," the voice on the other end of the phone said annoyingly.  
  
"Oh. Dang it. Hi T.K.," Davis sulked.  
  
"But I am calling on behalf of Kari," T.K. added.  
  
"Well, what's going on?"  
  
"Something really big. Would you call the others for me after I tell you?"  
  
"Sure," Davis replied.  
  
T.K. took a deep breath and began to explain.  
  
*************************  
  
-Kamiya Residence-  
  
-9:03 PM-  
  
  
  
Kari stared out the window, feeling as though a big burden had lifted off her chest and another had been put on in its place.  
  
"It was good you told them," Gatomon said, sitting beside her.  
  
"Yeah…" Kari felt distant, distracted. "I just feel really tired right now…" She turned and made her way to her bed, plopping down on it. Tao had left around 8:10, just walking right out of the apartment without a word. Afterwards Kari had broke down and told Tai everything. Then she had called T.K. She felt easier talking to him, for some odd reason…like he would understand, and that they understood each other…she took a breath. Just hearing his voice on the other end of the phone was enough to make her feel slightly better. T.K. would call another Digidestined, who would in turn call another Digidestined, and soon they would all know about the trouble. She felt a deep exhaustion take over her. Gatomon hopped beside Kari in the bed, snuggling against her.  
  
"Let's not think about all that stuff she told you," Gatomon offered.  
  
"Okay…" Kari replied.  
  
"I actually was in the water today," admitted Gatomon.  
  
"Really?…"  
  
"Yeah…Veemon was getting me used to the wet stuff."  
  
"Ooohh…so you do have a thing for him?"  
  
"Oh, stop that!" Gatomon rubbed an ear. "He was just helping me, that's all…"  
  
"Who has a thing for who and who helped what?" Agumon entered the room, raising an eyebrow at the two. He spun around dramatically, then stopped. He was wearing a white jacket and carrying a notepad and pencil. Sitting on the floor beside the bed, he faked a serious cough. "I want to know everything!"  
  
Kari managed a smile and Gatomon rolled her eyes. "None of your business, Agumon," Gatomon retorted.  
  
Tai entered a second later, looking in deep thought. "Right now I think everything having to do with your two is our business," he said, looking directly at Kari. She winced.  
  
"Look, Tai, I'm sorry for not telling you sooner…" she mumbled.  
  
"I'm just glad you FINALLY told me. But what if something had happened sooner? Then we would be clueless to how to help you! You really need to get over your habit of keeping things to yourself, even if you think it might hurt others. I'd rather know and get hurt than to not know and watch you get hurt!"  
  
Tai's words stung Kari like bullets. "…."  
  
"Gah…" Tai sat on the bed by Kari, rubbing her head like he used to do when they were little. "I'm sorry. I just don't want to see you hurt, sis."  
  
Kari smiled lowly. "I understand."  
  
"It's getting late. We'd better be getting to bed." Tai got up and stretched, looking down to Kari. "You think you'll be okay?"  
  
"Yeah," she answered after a moment. "Thanks." Tai nodded and climbed up onto his bunk with Agumon following. Kari got under her covers with Gatomon beside her, looking up at the underside of Tai's bunk. Rolling over, she closed her eyes, praying the dreams wouldn't come that night. As she began to drift off to sleep, she could hear Gatomon mumble sleepily, "Next time they won't ignore me…"  
  
*************************  
  
-Somewhere in the City-  
  
-9:34 PM-  
  
  
  
Tao leaned against the wall, watching the lights of passing cars streak across the road in front of her. The cold wind shifted, but she did not shiver as it blew fiercely at her.  
  
"What do we do now?" asked Cystamon, barely visible in the dark as she sat in Tao's arms.  
  
"We're carrying out another phase of Flawless' Plan. The Digidestined should know about us by now, if Hikari spread the word as planned."  
  
"Oh, I remember." Cystamon smirked wryly, her gaze traveling up to the apartment they were standing by, the one that belonged to a certain someone. "We're going to show them how serious we are, ne?"  
  
Tao smirked as well, pulling her hand just enough out of her pocket. Steel glinted in the light given off by the streetlights, belonging to that of a knife. "That's right," she whispered coldly. "They'll know this is no game…"  
  
Cystamon turned her gaze up a few stories, narrowing her keen eyes until she could see the name written above one of the doors.  
  
The sign read, 'The Motomiyas'.  
  
  
  
  
  
Kari finally breaks down and tells the others everything, but is it already too late?  
  
Tao explains everything, and Kari also realizes things are more serious than she ever thought possible…if Flawless succeeds in using her successfully, then the entire world would be plunged into a dark chaos…  
  
It's Flawless, this Dark being, facing the forces of the Light, and the Digidestined are stuck in the middle…  
  
And it seems Tao has other orders; orders that might prove fatal for somebody… 


End file.
